VEGF and bFGF mRNA are expressed in ethylnitrosourea-induced experimental rat gliomas

1. Which angiogenic growth factors actually mediate tumor growth in ethylnitrosourea (ENU)-induced gliomas in rats was examined. 2. In situ hybridization histochemistry with digoxigenin-labeled oligonucleotide probes was used to investigate the cellular expression and distribution of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) mRNAs in ENU-induced gliomas. 3. Both VEGF and bFGF mRNAs were not detected in normal gial cells but in ENU-induced glioma cells. 4. Our results suggest that the growth of ENU-induced glioma may be regulated by multiple angiogenic growth factors and that these gliomas may proliferate by synthesizing such growth factors.