The angiogenic action of tadalafil in zebrafish caudal fin regeneration

Abstract

Tadalafil, better known as Cialis, is a phosphodiesterase E2 inhibitor which causes vasodilation. Many vasodilators have been shown to stimulate blood vessel growth. We used a zebrafish caudal fin regeneration model to investigate the angiogenic action of tadalafil. The three most ventral caudal fin bones of the zebrafish, Danio rerio, were amputated above the first branching point after being anesthetized with 0.2% Tricaine. After submerging five groups of zebrafish for 6o minutes in five increasing concentrations of taladifil (100 nM to 800 nM), they were placed in tanks containing regular water. Six days post amputation, each fish was anesthetized and its newly developed vascular bed in the regenerated tail fin region was examined under a microscope at 40X magnification. A 15 second video clip was also recorded. The area of each vascular bed was then quantified using our newly developed motion‐based angiogenesis analysis. As compared to the controls, zebrafish exposed to tadalafil showed significantly greater blood vessel growth. Statistically significant dose‐related responses were also demonstrated. In conclusion, tadalafil stimulates angiogenesis during caudal fin regeneration in zebrafish.