Expression of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein tumor thrombus.
OBJECTIVE
Both platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are known to promote the development of new blood vessels, which are fundamental to tumor growth and metastasis. We aimed at evaluating the gene expression of PD-ECGF and VEGF in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT).


METHODS
Surgical specimens (28 HCC, 28 nontumorous liver tissues and 18 PVTT) were studied by Northern blot analysis. The levels of PD-ECGF mRNA and VEGF mRNA expression were measured by densitometric scanning of the autoradiographs, and they were normalized to the level of expression of an internal control (glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase) mRNA.


RESULTS
The expression rates of PD-ECGF mRNA in PVTT, HCC and nontumorous liver tissues were 77.8% (14/18), 67.9% (19/28) and 35.7% (10/28), being 88.9% (16/18), 75.0% (21/28) and 17.9% (5/28) respectively for VEGF mRNA. The expressions of PD-ECGF mRNA and VEGF mRNA were higher in HCC with PVTT than when PVTT was absent (P < 0.05). The PVTT was more often seen in patients with positive expression of both PD-ECGF mRNA and VEGF mRNA in HCC than in patients who were positive for only one of these factors or negative for both (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Both PD-ECGF and VEGF correlated well with the formation of PVTT of HCC.
Zhou
J
J
Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, P.R. China.
Tang
Z Y
ZY
Fan
J
J
Wu
Z Q
ZQ
Li
X M
XM
Liu
Y K
YK
Liu
F
F
Sun
H C
HC
Ye
S L
SL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase