Angiogenesis dependent characteristics of tumor observed on rabbit VX2 hepatic carcinoma

To evaluate angiogenesis dependent characteristics of carcinoma proliferation, metastasis and to found if there is tumor vascularity architecture defect.

36 rabbits were random divided into 2 groups: Experimental group: 18 rabbits liver were implanted with VX2 tumor by surgery operation;

18 experimental rabbits performed the same surgery operation without tumor implantation, the course of tumor growth and blood vessel invasion was observed by autopsy. One slide was used for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, one slide was used for elastic fiber staining by Victoria blue and Ponceau's histochemical staining, and one slide was used for vascular endothelial cell immunohistochemical staining with biotinylated-ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA I); all three slides were observed under an optical microscopic. One additional slide was systematically observed by electron microscopy. SPSS 19.0 software was used for the statistical analyses of the data.

The tumor grew acceleration after tumor angiogenesis, volume of original tumors was correlated with vascular caliber. The central tumor found necrosis without enough blood supply while tumor grew rapidly after tumor angiogenesis. The tumor infiltrated into liver blood sinus, blood vessels in hepatic interstitial tissue, the liver capsular vein and important organs metastasis such as lungs, kidneys, abdominal cavity caused rabbits died. The average vascular density count of 18 experimental rabbits under 400 times light microscope were 43.17 ± 8.68/vessels/High Power Field; Tumor vascular diameter all within 200 μm. Vascular elastic fiber staining presented tumor blood vessels internal, external elastic plate intact, vascular endothelial cells organelles of tumor were integrity without endothelial cells architecture defect found by pathologic observation.

Proliferation and metastasis of rabbit VX2 hepatic carcinoma was correlated with tumor angiogenesis and no tumor vascular architecture defect was found by pathologic observation, it need further exploration by other methods.