RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of pro-angiogenic factors and their receptors on angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: Expression of VEGF/KDR and Angiopoietins/Tie2 was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot in 15 cases with hepatocellular carcinoma, 15 tumor adjacent tissues (<1 cm, >5 cm), 8 cirrhotic liver, and 4 normal liver. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect CD34 expression, and the relationship between neovascular density and angiogenesis was analyzed. RESULTS: The expression levels of VEGF and Ang2 were significantly higher in hepacellular carcinoma group than those in the other groups (P < 0.01), and so did the expression of CD34. The expressions of KDR and Ang1/Tie2 showed no significant difference in all groups, but they indeed increased to various levels in tumor and tumor adjacent tissues as compared with those in cirrhosis and normal liver. CONCLUSION: VEGF/KDR and Angiopoietins/Tie2 may be the crucial signal pathways in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.