[Correlation between epidermal growth factor and overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor in hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the correlation between epidermal growth factor (EGF) and overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
Expressions of EGF, VEGF and microvessel density were studied through immunohistochemical SABC method in 36 HCC specimens, their paraneoplastic liver tissues and 6 normal liver tissues with the correlation between these parameters analyzed. Recombinant human EGF was used to stimulate HepG(2) cells and semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR was adopted to detect the expression of VEGF in HepG(2) cells.


RESULTS
The positive rates of EGF and VEGF expression in HCC tissue were 75.0% and 88.9%. There was positive correlation between EGF and VEGF expression (P < 0.01, r = 0.462). Recombinant human EGF could induce the expression of VEGF in HepG(2) cells in a dose and time dependent manner.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of EGF in HCC underlies the overexpression of VEGF in HCC.
Huang
Gengwen
G
Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Yang
Lianyue
L
Yang
Jianqing
J
Liu
Heli
H
Yang
Zhili
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D013223:Statistics as Topic; 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; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor