The Study Of Nitric Oxide Synthase And Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression In Ovarian Cancer And Their Relation To Angiogenesis

Objective To investigate endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS) ,inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)protein expression in o-varian cancer and their role in angiogenesis.Methods Tissue sections from 61 ovarian cancer patients were examined immunohis-tochemically for protein expression of eNOS ,iNOS, VEGF. Microvessal density (MVD) was counted by endothelial cells immunostained by anti-CD34 antibody. Results (1) The positive rate of eNOS, iNOS and VEGF was 57. 4% ,70. 5% and 59. 0% in ovarian cancer. (2)The expression rates of iNOS and VEGF in patients with lymph node metastasis in ovarian cancer were significantly higher than those without lymph node metastasis, (P< 0. 05). There was negative correlation between the expression rate of iNOS and VEGF and histologic classification, (P<0. 05). (3)MVD was 53. 6 + 11. 3/HP and 46. 9+10. 3/HP in ovarian cancer postive for iNOS and VEGF while it was 28. 7 + 6. 7/HP and 32. 5 + 6. 2/HP in ovarian cancer negative for iNOS and VEGF respectively, (P<0. 001). (4)There was a significant correlation between the expression of iNOS and VEGF(P<0. 01).Conclusions iNOS and VEGF contribute to angiogenesis of ovarian cancer. iNOS plays an important role in the angiogenesis induced by VEGF in ovarian cancer.