Expression of vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI) in human urothelial cancer of the bladder and its effects on the adhesion and migration of bladder cancer cells in vitro.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI) has been implicated in the regulation of tumour-related vasculature in certain solid tumours. However, its role in urothelial tumours is still unclear. In the present study, the role played by VEGI in urothelial tumours of the bladder was investigated.


METHODS
The expression of VEGI was examined in cancer human bladder tissues and in a serial of cell lines using immunochemical staining and RT-PCR respectively. The biological impact of modifying VEGI expression in urothelial cancer cells was evaluated using in vitro models.


RESULTS
VEGI mRNA was expressed in a wide variety of human cell lines. VEGI expression was seen in normal urothelial and stromal cells, but was found to be reduced or absent in urothelial cancer cells. The positive staining in normal tissue (6/7) was significantly higher than that of urothelial cancer tissues (2/12), p=0.006. Moreover, overexpression of VEGI reduced the motility and adhesion of urothelial cancer cells in vitro. However, the overexpression of VEGI had no bearing on the growth and invasion of urothelial cancer cells.


CONCLUSIONS
VEGI has an inhibitory effect on cellular motility and adhesion in bladder cancer cells. Taken together with the expression pattern of VEGI in urothelial cancer of the bladder, it suggests that VEGI functions as a negative regulator of aggressiveness during development and progression of bladder cancer.
Metastasis and Angiogenesis Research Group, Department of Surgery, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK.
Ning
N
Zhang
Andrew J
AJ
Sanders
Lin
L
Ye
Howard G
HG
Kynaston
Wen G
WG
Jiang
D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053380:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 15 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000473:pathology
D012333:RNA, Messenger; C117026:TNFSF15 protein, human; D053380:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 15