title: Up-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha and VEGF mRNAs in peritoneal dissemination of patients with gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastric cancer often metastasizes to the peritoneal cavity in which tumor cells are exposed to hypoxia without systemic circulation. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and its target gene, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), may play a role in the development of peritoneal metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mRNA levels of HIF-1 alpha and VEGF were examined in 21 normal gastric mucosa, 158 primary tumors and 18 peritoneal metastases by quantitative RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIF-1 alpha and VEGF were significantly up-regulated in the peritoneal metastases compared with those of the normal mucosa and the primary tumors. A positive correlation between HIF-1 alpha and VEGF was observed in the peritoneal dissemination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that HIF-1 alpha and its target gene, VEGF, were up-regulated in the intraperitoneal tumors but not in the primary cancers of the stomach. Different microenvironments may influence the expressions of these genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Kanagawa Cancer Center, 1-1-2 Nakao, Asahi-Ku, Yokohama 241-0815, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuburaya
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyagi
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A