Vascular endothelial growth factor is a potential tumour angiogenesis factor in human gliomas in vivo.
Clinical and experimental studies suggest that angiogenesis is a prerequisite for solid tumour growth. Several growth factors with mitogenic or chemotactic activity for endothelial cells in vitro have been described, but it is not known whether these mediate tumour vascularization in vivo. Glioblastoma, the most common and most malignant brain tumour in humans, is distinguished from astrocytoma by the presence of necroses and vascular proliferations. Here we show that expression of an endothelial cell-specific mitogen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is induced in astrocytoma cells but is dramatically upregulated in two apparently different subsets of glioblastoma cells. The high-affinity tyrosine kinase receptor for VEGF, flt, although not expressed in normal brain endothelium, is upregulated in tumour endothelial cells in vivo. These observations strongly support the concept that tumour angiogenesis is regulated by paracrine mechanisms and identify VEGF as a potential tumour angiogenesis factor in vivo.
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000906:Antibodies; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005910:Glioma / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D000906:Antibodies; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor