血管内皮生长因子及其受体在肝癌细胞中的表达及意义

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines

目的探讨人肝癌细胞株血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)及其受体的表达，进一步认识VEGF在肝癌血管形成中的作用机制。方法以人脐静脉血管内皮细胞系ECV304和小鼠成纤维细胞系L929作为对照，采用免疫组化染色及RT-PCR，检测体外培养的人肝细胞肝癌细胞系SMMC7721、HHCC和HepG2中VEGF及其受体的表达。结果SMMC7721、HHCC和HepG2细胞均有VEGF的表达，同时VEGF受体1(Flt-1)在SMMC7721细胞中也有表达；而HHCC和HepG2细胞则表达VEGF受体2(KDR)。结论在肝癌的血管形成中可能存在VEGF的自分泌机制。

Aim To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and its receptors in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines SMMC7721, HHCC and HepG2. Methods Immunohistochemical staining and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) were used to detect the mRNA and expression of VEGF and its receptors: VEGF-R1(Flt-1) and VEGF-R2 (KDR) in three human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, SMMC7721, HHCC and HepG2, as compared with ECV304 cells(human umbilical vein endothelial cells) and L929 cells(mouse fibroblast). Results All three human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines expressed VEGF protein. Flt-1 mRNA and protein could be detected in SMMC7721 cells while KDR in HHCC and HepG2 cells. Conclusion The expressions of Flt-1 and KDR suggests that VEGF may be an autocrine growth factor for human hepatocellular carcinoma, at least for cell lines in vitro.