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[Nitric oxide synthase and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and their
1Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Objective:
To analyse inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their relation to angiogenesis.
Methods:
Tissue sections from 71 HCC patients were examined immunohistochemically for protein expression of iNOS, eNOS, and VEGF. Microvessal density (MVD) was counted by endothelial cells immunostained by anti-CD34 antibody.
Results:
Positive iNOS and eNOS immunostaining was detected in 83.1% and 85.9% of HCC respectively. iNOS and eNOS were not detected in normal hepatic tissue. MVD was 34.3 +/- 1.5/HP and 38.6 +/- 1.6/HP in HCC positive for iNOS and VEGF while it was 31.2 +/- 2.8/HP, and 22.4 +/- 2.0/HP in HCC negative for iNOS and VEGF respectively (P < 0.01). A correlation between NOS expression and VEGF in HCC was not observed.
Conclusion:
iNOS and eNOS may play a role in malignant transformation of post-hepatic cirrhosis. The expression of iNOS and VEGF favors angiogenesis of HCC.