Serum vascular endothelial growth factor is a predictor of invasion and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Tumor progression is angiogenesis dependent, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key growth factor in this process. sVEGF concentrations in 44 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 5 with benign liver lesions were determined with an enzyme-link immunoadsorbent assay system (ELISA). Reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out on surgical specimens of 51 patients with HCC. The relative levels of VEGF mRNA expression were measured by determining a ratio between PCR products of VEGF and the endogenous internal standard gene b-actin. UEA-1 was histochemically used to count microvascularity in tumor tissue. Elevated sVEGF concentrations were found in patients with HCC (172.84+/-111.75 pg/ml) as compared to individuals with benign liver lesions (95.74+/-36.20 pg/ml, P<.05). Of 44 cases with HCC, sVEGF concentrations in the patients with PV-emboli or with poor-encapsulated tumors were significantly higher than in those without PV-emboli or with well-encapsulated tumors (P<0.05). The expression levels of VEGF mRNA in tumors with PV-emboli and in poor-encapsulated tumors were higher than in those without PV-emboli and in well-encapsulated tumors (P<0.05). Microvascular density in HCC tissues was significantly correlated with the expression levels of VEGF mRNA (P<0.01; r=0.7). Circulating VEGF was derived from HCC tissue. sVEGF concentrations could be a new marker for predicting the angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis of HCC.
Li
X M
XM
Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, P.R. China.
Tang
Z Y
ZY
Qin
L X
LX
Zhou
J
J
Sun
H C
HC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D006133:Growth Substances; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors