• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.141-147
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• 2017

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important signaling protein involved in angiogenesis, which is the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. Consequently, blocking of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR-2) by small molecule inhibitors leads to the inhibition of cancer induced angiogenesis. In this study, we performed a two dimensional quantitative structure activity relationship (2D-QSAR) study of 38 N-Phenyl-N'-{4-(4-quinolyloxy) phenyl} urea derivatives as VEGFR-2 inhibitors based on hologram quantitative structure-activity (HQSAR). The model developed showed reasonable $q^2=0.521$ and $r^2=0.932$ values indicating good predictive ability and reliability. The atomic contribution map analysis of most active compound (compound 7) indicates that hydrogen and oxygen atoms in the side chain of ring A and oxygen atom in side chain of ring C contributes positively to the activity of the compounds. The HQSAR model developed and the atomic contribution map can serve as a guideline in designing new compounds for VEGFR-2 inhibition.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.97-101
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• 2015

Background: The gene for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which promotes angiogenesis and permeability, is polymorphic. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between +936C>T and +404C>G polymorphism of VEGF with risk of esophageal cancer in the Kashmiri population in India. Materials and Methods: 150 esophageal cancer patients and 150 unrelated healthy controls were genotyped for two VGEF SNPs (+405C/G, and +936C/T) using DNA extracted from prospectively collected blood samples by the PCR-RFLP method. Results: For the VEGF +936C>T polymorphism a significant association of CT and combined CT+TT genotypes was observed with increased risk of esophageal cancer (p=0.021; 0.024). For the +405C>G polymorphism we observed significantly increased frequency of GG genotype in cases as compared to controls and also the +405 GG Genotype was observed to have a two fold risk(OR=2.7356; 95%CI=1.1409-6.5593; p=0.020). The combined genotypes of GG-CC and GG-CT of +405C>G and +936C>T were found to be significantly associated with increased risk of esophageal cancer (p=0.0376; 0.0099). Conclusions: From the results of the present study a significant association of +936C>T and +405C>G polymorphisms with increased esophageal cancer risk exists in the Kashmiri population.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.271-274
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• 2015

Background: To explore vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) and VEGF-D expression and its correlation with lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) tissue. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical methods were applied to detect the levels of VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression in 64 surgicall removal ESCC tissues, tissues adjacent to cancer and normal tissues, and the relationship between VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression and lymph node metastasis was analyzed. Results: Both VEGF-C and VEGF-D were expressed by varying degrees in esophageal cancer tissue, the tissue adjacent to cancer and normal tissue, and the positive expression rate went down successively. The positive expression rates of VEGF-C (59.4%) and VEGF-D (43.8%) in esophageal cancer tissue were significantly higher than in the tissue adjacent to cancer (34.4%, 15.6%) and normal tissue (20.3%, 12.5%), respectively, in which significant differences were manifested (p<0.01). Positive expression rates of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in esophageal cancers with lymph node metastasis were markedly higher than without such metastasis (p<0.01), while those in the tissue with TNM staging I~II were markedly lower than that with TNM staging III~IV (p<0.01). Conclusions: Both VEGF-C and VEGF-D are highly expressed in ESCC tissue, which may be related to the lymph node metastasis of cancer cells. Hence, VEGF-C and VEGF-D can be clinically considered as important reference indexes of lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2012

Objectives: Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C)and vascular endothelial growth factor feceptor-3 (VEGFR-3) in laryngeal squamous carcinoma and its relationship to lymph node metastasis were investigated. Methods: VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 gene expression in 30 cases of normal laryngeal mucosa tissue (NLM), primary laryngeal carcinoma cell carcinomas (PLC) and cervical lymph nodes (CLN) was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Protein levels of VEGF-C expression were determined by immunohistochemical staining in 60 cases of PLC. Results: Expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 different among NLM, PLC and CLN in the same patient. In PLC, expression was significantly higher in lymph node positive group than in the lymph node negative group and associated with histological grade of differentiation; Expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 was not linked with age, sex, site or T stage. Conclusions: A close correlation was found between VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 expression and lymph node metastasis in PLC, suggesting a role in metastasis of laryngeal carcinomas.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.364-373
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• 2004

Background : Obstructive sleep apnea is a contributory factor of hypertension, arrhythmia, ischemic heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. However, the pathophysiology underlying this relationship is unclear. Recent reports have shown that the soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) are involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, and some reports state that increased levels of these cytokines are found in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. In this study, the levels of sICAM-1 and VEGF were measured in patients with obstructive sleep apnea in order to determine if obstructive sleep apnea is involved in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. Methods : Thirty-seven patients were chosen amongst a population who visited the Sleep Disorders Clinic of St. Paul's Hospital in Seoul, Korea for a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea and who had subsequently undergone an overnight polysomnography at the clinic. The sera from these patients were retrieved after an overnight polysomnography session and the samples were kept at $-70^{\circ}C$. The cytokine levels were determined with ELISA and the relationships between the serum levels of sICAM-1 and VEGF along with polysomnography parameters were analyzed. Results : No statistically significant correlation was observed between the sICAM-1 levels and the apnea-hypopnea index(r=0.27, P>0.05). Positive correlations were found between the apnea-hypopnea index and serum VEGF levels (r=0.50, P<0.01), the apnea index and the serum sICAM-1 levels (r=0.31, P<0.01), and the apnea index and the serum VEGF levels (r=0.45, P<0.01). Conclusions : Obstructive apnea or hypopnea leads to an increase in the sICAM-1 and VEGF levels. Such an increase in the cytokine levels most likely leads to the higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases observed in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.591-597
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• 2003

Human urokinase kringle domain, sharing homology with angiostatin kringles, has been shown to be an inhibitor of angiogenesis, which can be used for the treatment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and retinopathy. Here, the expression of the kringle domain of urokinase (UK1) as a secreted protein in high levels is reported. UK1 was expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris GS115 by fusion of the cDNA spanning from Ser47 to Lys135 to the secretion signal sequence of ${\alpha}-factor$ prepro-peptide. In a flask culture, the secreted UK1 reached about 1 g/l level after 120h of methanol induction and was purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography. Amino-terminal sequencing of the purified UK1 revealed that it was cleaved at the Ste13 signal cleavage site. The molecular mass of UK1 was determined to be 10,297.01 Da. It was also confirmed that the purified UK1 inhibited endothelial cell proliferation stimulated by basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, or epidermal growth factor, in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that a P. pastoris sytem can be employed to obtain large amounts of soluble and active UK1.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.85-93
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• 2014

Purpose: Nodal metastasis is the main prognostic factor in the patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We investigated the association between tumor-associated lymphatics and OSCC characteristics. Methods: Thirty-four specimens were used for the immunohistochemical staining with the antibody for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, VEGF-D, VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-3, phosphorylated VEGFR-3, D2-40, and matrix metallproteinases (MMPs). We observed the distribution of the lymphangiogenic factors and quantified the degree of expression. We determined lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and lymphatic vessel dilatation with D2-40 immunostaining. We assessed the association of LVD or lymphatic vessel dilatation with tumor progression or tumor differentiation. Results: OSCC cells expressed lymphangiogenic ligands. Lymphangiogenic receptor, VEGFR-3, was expressed and activated in some tumor cells as well as in tumor-associated endothelial cells. LVD was not associated with tumor size or nodal status, but lymphatic vessel dilatation was higher in tumors with nodal metastasis, and also higher in poorly differentiated tumors. In stromal area of OSCC, MMP-1 and MMP-10 were up-regulated and the basement membrane of tumor-associated endothelial cells was destroyed by these collagenases. Conclusion: In the primary tumors with nodal metastasis, especially in poorly differentiated OSCC, tumor cells invaded the dilated lymphatic vessels via ruptured sites. MMP-1 and MMP-10 are important in the lysis of the glycocalyx inside the tumor-associated lymphatic endothelial cells.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2008

This study examined the mechanisms underlying the effects of the vasorelaxation active substance(VAS), dimethyladenosine-5'-L-arabinose, and its partial purification fraction on nitric oxide synthase in improving erectile dysfunction with particular focus on the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathways. Two rat models, 9-month-old SD rats and 11-month-old SD rats, were given VAS(40 mg/kg per day) for 4 days, The aqueous fraction of silworm male pupae extract; semi-purified VAS(100 mg/kg per day) for 10 days, respectively. The NOS activities of the following three enzymes were examined: neuronal NO synthase(nNOS), inducible NOS(iNOS), endothelial NOS(eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor on endothelial cells(VEGF) and anti-inflammation effect of Tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$. The results showed increases in the nitric oxide synthase activities. Western blotting of the tissue homogenate showed an increase in the nNOS level in the brain and tongue, and an increase in the endothelial NO synthase(eNOS) level in penis. However, there was little association with VEGF production in HUVEC endothelial cells and no relationship with TNF-$\alpha$ which showed low levels.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9713-9717
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• 2014

Background: Colon cancer (CRC) is perhaps the second most common cause of cancer mortality. This study determined the clinical significance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and serum complement 3a (C3a) levels in patients with CRC in Fars province, southern Iran. Materials and Methods: Between June 2010 and June 2012, 110 patients with CRC of both genders and different age groups were divided into 3 groups. Group A included patients who had just undergone surgery; Group B had undergone chemotherapy after surgery; and Group C had undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy after surgery. Twenty one healthy subjects with normal colonoscopy were considered as a control group. ELISA was undertaken to determine VEGF and C3a levels before and after treatment measures. Results: The mean age of patients was $53.9{\pm}14.1$ years. Considering VEGF level, a significant decrease was visible after treatment measures in groups A and B, but not Group C. For VEGF level, the difference was not statistically significant between two genders and various age groups before and after treatment. No significant difference was found for VEGF level between patients and normal group before any treatment. Regarding C3a levels in 101 subjects, they significantly decreased after treatment measures. Before and after treatment, the difference was statistically significant between two genders, but was not statistically significant among various age groups. Conclusions: As VEGF and C3a levels were significantly lower in patients after treatment, these may be beneficial markers in assessment of CRC therapy especially in early stages.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3089-3097
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• 2012

Background and Aims: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with resected gastric cancer. However, its role remains controversial. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. Methods: Relevant literature was identified using Medline and survival data from published studies were collected following a methodological assessment. Quality assessment of eligible studies and meta-analysis of hazard ratio (HR) were performed to review the correlation of VEGF overexpression with survival and recurrence in patients with gastric cancer. Results: Our meta-analysis included 44 published studies with 4,794 resected patients. VEGF subtype for the prediction of overall survival (OS) included tissue VEGF (HR=2.13, 95% CI 1.71-2.65), circulating VEGF (HR=4.22, 95% CI 2.47-7.18), tissue VEGF-C (HR=2.21, 95% CI 1.58-3.09), tissue VEGF-D (HR=1.73, 95% CI 1.25-2.40). Subgroup analysis showed that HRs of tissue VEGF for OS were, 1.78 (95% CI 0.90-3.51) and 2.31 (95% CI 1.82-2.93) in non-Asians and Asians, respectively. The meta-analysis was also conducted for disease free survival (DFS) and disease specific survival (DSS). Conclusion: Positive expression of tissue VEGF, circulating VEGF, VEGF-C and VEGF-D were all associated with poor prognosis in resected gastric cancer. However, VEGF demonstrated no significant prognostic value for non-Asian populations. Circulating VEGF may be better than tissue VEGF in predicting prognosis.