The effect of high intensity focused ultrasound on vascular endothelial growth factor and microvessel density in rabbit V-X2 hepatocellular carcinoma models.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of high intensity focused ultrasound on vascular endothelial growth factor and microvessel density in the rabbit VX-2 hepatocellular carcinoma models.


METHODS
Rabbit VX-2 hepatocellular carcinoma models were built by implanting VX-2 tumor cells into the hepatic left lobes of 40 rabbits. After that, the rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: the control group (n=10), the postoperative one-day group (n=10), the postoperative three-day group (n=10) and the postoperative seven-day group (n=10). The expression of VEGF and the MVD in the HCC tissues were observed and measured by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
After the HIFU treatment, the MVD and the expression of VEGF in the HCC tissues in the postoperative one-day group and post-operative three-day group decreased significantly as compared with the sham-HIFU group (p<0.01). The MVD and the expression of VEGF in the postoperative seven-day group were higher than those of the sham-HIFU group (p<0.05). No obvious difference was shown between the postoperative one-day group and the postoperative three-day group (p>0.05), while the two groups MVD and the expression of VEGF were different with those of the postoperative seven-day group (p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
HIFU causes damage to the microvessels in the HCC tissues, effectively inhibits angiogenesis and reduces blood supply in these tissues.
Department of Biliary Duct, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Li-ping
LP
Chen
Ning
N
Li
Hui
H
Ye
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000517:prevention & control; D011817:Rabbits; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A