Abnormal Expression Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) And Its Cellular Distribution In Human Hepatocellular Carcinomas By Immunohistochemistry

[Objective] To evaluate the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the formation of microvessel, and the relationship between VEGF and angiogennesis growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).[Methods] The cellular distributions and VEGF expression in tumors of 36 patients with HCC were investigated by immunohistochemistry. The total RNAs of liver cancerous, paracancerous and distal cancerous tissues were measured, then the levels of VEGF-mRNA expression were analyzed by a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, and the levels of VEGF of liver cancerous, paracancerous and distal cancerous tissues were detected by an ELISA assay.[Results] The incidence of VEGF was 63.9% in 36 cases of HCC specimens. The expressions of VEGF and microvascular density (MVD) were significantly elevated as compared with tissues of capsule integrated and those of non-encapsuled. Both of VEGF level and MVD in metastasis tissues weresignificantly higher than those of non-metastasis tissues (P<0.01), but no significant different was found between tumor diameter and polarized degree. The expression level of total RNA in HCC tissues was significantly lower than those of paracancerous or distal cancerous ones. However, the expression level of VEGF in HCC tissues was significantly higher than those of paracancerous or distal cancerous ones (P < 0.01). The VEGF expression was tightly correlated with MVD (P < 0.01).[Conclusions] The present data suggest that the expression of VEGF was in high level in HCC. Its level and MVD correlates closely with metastasis and non-encapsuled tissues, but were no significant different between tumor diameter and polarized degree. The fragments for VEGF 121 and VEGF 165 were stronger than other bands by PT-PCR analysis. It shows VEGF play an important role in the tumor angiogennesis, development and metastasis of HCC. Both of the overexpression of VEGF and the abnormality changes of MVD in HCC tissues are useful markers for vascular invasion and metastasis of liver tumors.