Using guanidine-HCl extraction, acetone precipitation, ultra-filtration and chromatography, a novel polypeptide with potent anti-angiogenic activity was purified from cartilage of the shark, Prionace glauca. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis and SDS-PAGE revealed that the substance is a novel polypeptide with MW 15500 (PG155). The anti-angiogenic effects of PG155 were evaluated using zebrafish embryos model in vivo. Treatment of the embryos with 20 microg/ml PG155 resulted in a significant reduction in the growth of subintestinal vessels (SIVs). A higher dose resulted in almost complete inhibition of SIV growth, as observed by endogenous alkaline phosphatase (EAP) staining assay. An in vitro transwell experiment revealed that the polypeptide inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induced migration and tubulogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Exposure of HUVECs in 20 microg/ml PG155 significantly decreased the density of migrated cells. Almost complete inhibition of cell migration was found when HUVECs were treated with 40-80 microg/ml PG155. PG155 (20 microg/ml) markedly inhibited the tube formation of HUVECs and a dose-dependent effect was also found when treatment of HUVECs with PG155 at the concentration from 20-160 microg/ml.