BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are recognized as key factors required for angiogenesis of tumors. They can influence pathologic development and prognosis of tumors. This study was to investigate the correlation of expressions of iNOS and VEGF to angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Tissue microarray of 147 specimens of HCC was prepared, VEGF and microvessel density (MVD) were detected using immunohistochemistry, iNOS mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Positive rates of iNOS, and VEGF in HCC tissues were higher than those in adjacent noncancerous tissues (86.39% vs. 33.33%, 78.91% vs. 40.82%). Expression levels of iNOS, and VEGF in HCC tissues were significantly higher than those in adjacent noncancerous tissues (P<0.01). MVD in HCC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent noncancerous tissues (56.5+/-12.8 vs. 8.4+/-3.6, P<0.01). Expression of iNOS was related with tumor size, and surface antigen of hepatitis B (HBsAg) (P<0.05), but didn't relate with metastasis, and differentiation of the cancer (P>0.05). Expression of VEGF, and MVD were correlated to tumor size, and metastasis (P<0.05), not to HbsAg, and tumor differentiation (P>0.05). In cancer tissues, MVD was positively correlated with expressions of VEGF and iNOS (P<0.01), expression of VEGF was positively correlated with that of iNOS (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: iNOS and VEGF may play important roles in angiogenesis of HCC. Expression levels of iNOS and VEGF, and MVD in HCC tissues were higher than those in adjacent noncancerous tissues.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE:Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are recognized as key factors required for angiogenesis of tumors. They can influence pathologic development and prognosis of tumors. This study was to investigate the correlation of expressions of iNOS and VEGF to angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Tissue microarray of 147 specimens of HCC was prepared, VEGF and microvessel density (MVD) were detected using immunohistochemistry, iNOS mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Positive rates of iNOS, and VEGF in HCC tissues were higher than those in adjacent noncancerous tissues (86.39% vs. 33.33%, 78.91% vs. 40.82%). Expression levels of iNOS, and VEGF in HCC tissues were significantly higher than those in adjacent noncancerous tissues (P<0.01). MVD in HCC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent noncancerous tissues (56.5+/-12.8 vs. 8.4+/-3.6, P<0.01). Expression of iNOS was related with tumor size, and surface antigen of hepatitis B (HBsAg) (P<0.05), but didn't relate with metastasis, and differentiation of the cancer (P>0.05). Expression of VEGF, and MVD were correlated to tumor size, and metastasis (P<0.05), not to HbsAg, and tumor differentiation (P>0.05). In cancer tissues, MVD was positively correlated with expressions of VEGF and iNOS (P<0.01), expression of VEGF was positively correlated with that of iNOS (P<0.01). CONCLUSION:iNOS and VEGF may play important roles in angiogenesis of HCC. Expression levels of iNOS and VEGF, and MVD in HCC tissues were higher than those in adjacent noncancerous tissues.