VEGF and HIF-1alpha expression are increased in advanced stages of epithelial ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor that is elevated in epithelial ovarian cancer. Hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a transcription factor that plays a regulatory role in the expression of VEGF. Currently, there is limited information regarding VEGF and HIF-1alpha expression in epithelial ovarian cancer specimens. The objective of this study was to measure VEGF and HIF-1alpha expression in epithelial ovarian cancer samples and to compare VEGF and HIF-1alpha expression between ovarian cancer and normal ovarian tissue


METHODS
. Serial sections of paraffin-embedded ovarian tissues from a study group of 16 control patients and 37 patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer were analyzed for expression of VEGF and HIF-1alpha using immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
There was a strong correlation between the average expression scores of VEGF and HIF-1alpha expression (r(2) = 0.991). There was a significant increase in expression of VEGF in stage III and IV tumors over that in controls (P < 0.005). There was also a significant increase in HIF-1alpha expression in stage III and IV tumors over that in controls (P < 0.005 and P < 0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF and HIF-1alpha are both expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer. VEGF expression correlated with HIF-1alpha expression, suggesting that HIF-1alpha may contribute to the overexpression of VEGF observed in epithelial ovarian cancer.
Wong
Cheung
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT 05405, USA. cheung.wong@vtmednet.org
Wellman
Theresa L
TL
Lounsbury
Karen M
KM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis*
C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D014157:Transcription Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A