BACKGROUND: Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a growth factor of various malignant diseases. However, the in vivo effects of HDGF suppression targeting for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been clarified to date. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We stably transfected HDGF shRNA into SK-HEP-1 human HCC cells and investigated the effects of HDGF reduction on HCC growth using a cell proliferation assay and a murine xenograft model. The effects of HDGF reduction on VEGF expression and in vivo angiogenesis were also investigated with real-time PCR and immunostaining analyses, respectively. RESULTS: HDGF reduction resulted in a decreased proliferative activity of SK-HEP-1 cells both in vitro and in vivo. The in vivo anti-tumor effects of HDGF were particularly higher than that expected in vitro. HDGF-reduction suppressed VEGF expression in SK-HEP-1 cells and in vivo angiogenesis of developed tumors. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that targeted inhibition of HDGF may be a novel anti-HCC therapy. Copyright
BACKGROUND:Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a growth factor of various malignant diseases. However, the in vivo effects of HDGF suppression targeting for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been clarified to date. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We stably transfected HDGF shRNA into SK-HEP-1human HCC cells and investigated the effects of HDGF reduction on HCC growth using a cell proliferation assay and a murine xenograft model. The effects of HDGF reduction on VEGF expression and in vivo angiogenesis were also investigated with real-time PCR and immunostaining analyses, respectively. RESULTS:HDGF reduction resulted in a decreased proliferative activity of SK-HEP-1 cells both in vitro and in vivo. The in vivo anti-tumor effects of HDGF were particularly higher than that expected in vitro. HDGF-reduction suppressed VEGF expression in SK-HEP-1 cells and in vivo angiogenesis of developed tumors. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that targeted inhibition of HDGF may be a novel anti-HCC therapy. Copyright