Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

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.