[Correlation of expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix matalloproteinase-2 to invasion of ovarian tumor cells in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) are the important factors in tumor metastasis. To the author's knowledge, their relationship has not been addressed to date. This study was designed to investigate the in vitro invasion and the expression level of VEGF and MMP-2 in ovarian tumor cells, and to evaluate the correlation of expression of VEGF and MMP-2 in the ovarian tumor metastasis.


METHODS
Boyden chamber in vitro invasion assay was used to detect the invasive capacity in vitro in two ovarian tumor cell lines CaOV-3 and COC1. The expression levels of VEGF and MMP-2 in CaOV-3 and COC1 were evaluated by semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blot. The activity of MMP-2 in two cell lines was detected by substrate zymography.


RESULTS
Boyden chamber in vitro invasion assay indicated that the mean invasion percentage of CaOV-3 cells (21.9 +/- 1.5) was significantly higher than that of COC1 cells (8.8 +/- 0.9) (P < 0.05). Contrast to COC1 cells, CaOV-3 cells expressed significantly higher levels of mRNA of VEGF and MMP-2 as well as protein by RT-PCR and Western blot. Substrate zymography showed that the MMP-2 activity of CaOV3 cells was two times than that of COC1 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The in vitro invasive ability of ovarian tumor cells appeared to be positive correlated to high expression of VEGF and MMP-2. There may be relationship between VEGF and MMP-2 in the process of metastasis of ovarian carcinoma.
Zhang
A-li
AL
Department of Gynecology & Obsterics, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong Science and Technology University, Wuhan 430030, P. R. China.
Wang
Shi-xuan
SX
Lu
Yun-ping
YP
Li
Jing
J
Wang
Chang-yu
CY
Ma
Ding
D
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2