2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Dynamics and Biological Significance of Vascular Growth Factors in Urogenital Cancers.
| Project/Area Number |
10470330
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B).
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Urology
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| Research Institution | Akita University |
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Principal Investigator |
KATO Tetsuro Akita University School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (40004642)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SATO Kazunari Akita University School of Medicine, Lecturer, 医学部, 講師 (90270842)
SATOH Shigeru Akita University School of Medicine, Lecturer, 医学部, 講師 (80187195)
OGAWA Osamu Kyoto University School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (90260611)
MISHINA Mutsuki Akita University School of Medicine, Research Assoc., 医学部, 助手 (30301063)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1998 – 2000
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| Keywords | angiogenic factor / urogenital cancer / VEGF / bFGF / ELISA / angiogenesis |
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| Research Abstract |
The relationship between tumor angiogenesis and angiogenic factors was evaluated in urogenital cancers. VEGF gene was overexpressed in more than a half of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The expression level of VEGF genes was significantly correlated with the intratumoral microvessel density. An immunohistologic analysis revealed that cytoplasm of RCC appeared to be positive for the VEGF staining. VEGF gene was also overexpressed in 40% of BCas. At protein level, VEGF was apparently positive in bladder carcinoma cells. VEGF-receptor genes were expressed in concordance with the VEGF gene expression level in both tumors. Thus, angiogenesis in RCC and bladder cancer is suggested to be facilitated by a paracrine mechanism with VEGF and its receptors.
We studied the expression of VEGF-relating genes (VEGF-A, B, C, and D) in RCCs and found that VEGF-A and the receptors, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, play crucial roles in the angiogenesis of RCC while VEGF-B and VEGF-C do little.
Based on the above results, we compared serum VEGF levels between cancer patients and healthy control subjects. The mean serum VEGF level was higher in the RCC patient group than in the healthy control group. Postoperative serum VEGF level apparently decreased as compared with the preoperative level. Serum VEGF level was significantly correlated with tumor volume, metastasis, and stage. The mean serum VEGF level was also higher in the bladder cancer patient group than in the healthy control group. Thus we suggest that RCC and bladder cancer release VEGF into the blood circulation and serum VEGF level would be a marker of malignant potential of these tumors.
Taken together, these results would be useful as basic data for the development of antiangiogenic-factor antibody facilitating diagnosis and therapy of RCC and bladder cancer.
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