title: Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha is associated with tumor vascularization in human colorectal carcinoma.
abstract: HIF-1 is reported to transactivate expression of VEGF, which is an important angiogenic factor. To determine whether HIF-1alpha plays a role in angiogenesis through its regulation of VEGF, we examined expression of HIF-1alpha and its relation to clinicopathologic features, VEGF expression and prognosis of patients with colorectal carcinoma. Expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF was examined in 4 colorectal carcinoma cell lines (COLO320DM, COLO201, DLD-1, WiDr) and 149 colorectal carcinoma tissues (10 fresh specimens, 139 archival, paraffin-embedded specimens). HIF-1alpha protein levels were increased by hypoxia in 3 of 4 colorectal carcinoma cell lines (COLO201, DLD-1, WiDr), and VEGF mRNA levels were also increased by hypoxia in the same cell lines. In 8 of 10 patients with colorectal cancer, expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF was increased in tumor tissues compared to corresponding normal mucosa. Of 139 archival specimens of colorectal carcinoma, 81 (58.3%) expressed HIF-1alpha protein at a high level. HIF-1alpha expression was correlated with tumor invasion, tumor stage, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion and liver metastasis. Moreover, HIF-1alpha expression was correlated significantly with VEGF expression and microvessel density. Although there was a tendency for poorer prognosis in patients with high HIF-1alpha-expressing tumors, this correlation was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that HIF-1alpha may play a role in angiogenesis and tumor progression via regulation of VEGF in human colorectal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwai
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitadai
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onogawa
authors.forename: Norimasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsutani
authors.forename: Eijiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaio
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chayama
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors