In vitro activity: Candesartan binds with high specificity to the angiotensin II AT1 receptors in CHO-AT1 cells with K–1 of 0.001 min–1. Candesartan does not affect cell viability or proliferation but increases the expression of VEGF and interleukin-8 in the cultured medium of KU-19-19 cells. Candesartan (0.1 nM) could reduce the maximal contractile response to angiostensin II by approximately 50%.

Kinase Assay: Cells are plated in 24-well plates and cultured until confluence. Before the experiment, the cells are washed three times with 0.5 mL per well of DMEM at room temperature. After removal of the medium, 400 μL binding DMEM is added and the plate is then left for 15 min at 37 ℃. For saturation binding assays cells are incubated with increasing concentrations [3H]Candesartan (final concentrations between 0.15 nM and 15 nM) in a final volume of 0.5 mL at 37 ℃ for 5 min to 180 min. For competition binding assays 50 μL of buffer or 50 μL of buffer containing increasing concentrations of unlabelled Candesartan is added. After 30 min, 50 μL of buffer containing [3H]Candesartan (final concentration 1.1 nM) or [3H]Candesartan (final concentration 1.0 nM) is added, and the cells are further incubated for 30 min at 37 ℃.

Cell Assay: KU-19-19 cells are seeded at a cell density of 2 × 104 per well in 96-well plates and allowed to grow overnight. Then the cells are treated with various concentrations of Candesartan for various periods of time. Cell viability is determined by the Alamar Blue assay to examine the cytotoxicity and antiproliferative effect of candesartan. The absorbance value of each well is determined in a microplate reader.

Eur J Pharmacol. 1999 Feb 19;367(2-3):413-22; Clin Cancer Res. 2006 May 1;12(9):2888-93.