Xenografts of human solid tumors frequently express cellular-associated isoform of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) 189.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major factor mediating tumor stromal angiogenesis, is expressed as five splice variants encoded by a single gene (VEGF121, VEGF145, VEGF165, VEGF189 and VEGF206). Recently, we demonstrated that the cell-associated isoform, VEGF189, plays important roles in establishment of human colon and esophageal cancer xenografts. We have established 228 xenografts originating from various human solid tumors. In this study, we investigated the expression patterns of VEGF isoforms in those tumor xenografts by RT-PCR. The isoform patterns were VEGF121/VEGF165 in 27 xenografts (11.8%) and VEGF121/VEGF165/VEGF189 in 201 (88.2%). All human solid tumor xenografts expressed VEGF189 more frequently than primary tumors reported previously. These results suggest that VEGF189 contributes to the successful xenotransplantability of various human solid tumors via augmentation of stromal vascularization.