VEGF在绵羊生殖管道中的表达规律

以不同发情周期雌性绵羊子宫、输卵管为研究对象,采用免疫组织化学技术,针对血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）在绵羊子宫、输卵管的表达、定位和变化规律进行了检测,同时应用相关图像分析软件对抗原染色强度进行了定量分析。结果表明：输卵管在发情0～15d,VEGF表达量在第9天达到峰值后经历波动逐渐下降过程,输卵管内膜上皮细胞是VEGF抗原的主要靶细胞;而子宫角在发情0～15d,VEGF表达量在第5天达到峰值后经历波动逐渐下降过程,子宫内膜固有层及腺体周围细胞为VEGF抗原的主要靶细胞。该研究结果为绵羊生产中进一步提高受胎率和妊娠率及频密产羔等技术的应用提供了科学依据。     

不同日龄滩羊皮肤组织化学特征比较

为比较2、35日龄滩羊皮肤毛囊的发育特点与血管内皮生长因子（vascular endothelial growth factor，VEGF）和血管内皮生长因子受体2（vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2，VEGFR2）的分布特征，探究出生后滩羊被毛生长发育的变化特点，试验应用常规HE染色及改良Masson胶原纤维染色、Gomori银氨法染色、磷钨酸染色等特殊染色观察2与35日龄滩羊皮肤组织结构特点；应用免疫组织化学法结合免疫荧光染色法观察VEGF及VEGFR2在2与35日龄滩羊皮肤组织中的分布定位，并用IPP图像分析软件进行定量分析。结果显示：与2日龄滩羊皮肤组织比较，35日龄滩羊表皮与真皮间界限更加清晰，毛囊结构发育完整；毛囊密度显著降低（P<0.05）；胶原纤维与弹性纤维含量增加，形成网格状分布。免疫组化及免疫荧光结果显示，VEGF及VEGFR2在滩羊皮肤表皮及毛囊外根鞘、皮脂腺上均有表达。统计表明，VEGF及VEGFR2在2日龄滩羊皮肤组织中的表达量均显著高于35日龄（P<0.05）。综合上述结果，滩羊毛囊发育过程中，胶原纤维和弹性纤维增加明显；VEGF与VEGFR2通路在毛囊角质形成中起直接调节作用。     

齐墩果酸抗大鼠移植性肝癌作用的研究

[目的]研究齐墩果酸抗肿瘤作用以及对肿瘤血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）和微血管密度（MVD）的影响,探讨齐墩果酸抗肝癌作用机制。[方法]32只大鼠移植性肝癌模型随机分为齐墩果酸高剂量组（100mS／kg·d）、齐墩果酸低剂量组（50mg／kg·d）、氟尿嘧啶（5-Fu）组（5mg／kg·d）、生理盐水组,每组8只,前3组于造模成功后第8天腹腔注射给药,生理盐水组灌胃给药,连续用药14d后停药24h,取血处死大鼠,取出瘤块称重,常规瘤体组织形态学观察,分离血清检测肝功能指标谷草转氨酶（AST）、谷丙转氨酶（ALT）,用免疫组化法检测瘤块中VEGF和MVD的表达情况。[结果1齐墩果酸给药组瘤重明显低于生理盐水对照组,与生理盐水对照组比较差异显著（P〈0．01）;齐墩果酸给药组及5一FIJ组血管条数目密集程度较生理盐水组明显减少;齐墩果酸对血清中AsT、AIJT活性升高有明显的拮抗作用,并且AsT的含量与生理盐水对照组比较有显著性差异（P〈0．01）;造模各组VEGF及MVD的表达水平均明显高于空白组（P〈0．01）,两者的表达均以生理盐水组最高。l结论]齐墩果酸可显著抑制大鼠体内癌细胞的生长,对移植性肝癌所造成的肝功能损伤具有明显的保护作用,其作用机制可能与下调VEGF和MVD的表达水平有关。     

Immunohistochemical Expression of Potential Therapeutic Targets in Canine Thyroid Carcinoma

Background

Thyroid carcinoma is a common endocrine tumor in the dog. Local invasive growth frequently precludes surgical excision and, in up to 38% of dogs, the tumor has already metastasized by the time of diagnosis. Therefore, it is important to investigate new treatment modalities that may be useful for the large number of dogs with inoperable tumors or metastatic disease.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To investigate the immunohistochemical expression of potential therapeutic targets in canine thyroid tumors.

Animals

74 dogs with thyroid neoplasia.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was performed for thyroglobulin, calcitonin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), p53, cycloxygenase‐2 (cox‐2), and P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp).

Results

Fifty‐four (73%) tumors were classified as follicular cell thyroid carcinomas (FTCs) and 20 (27%) as medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs). Eighty percent of FTCs and all MTCs had a high percentage (76–100%) of neoplastic cells immunopositive for VEGF. Thirteen percent of FTCs and 50% of MTCs expressed cox‐2. Seven percent of FTCs and 70% of MTCs expressed P‐gp. No tumor was immunopositive for p53 expression. Expression of VEGF (P = .034), cox‐2 (P = .013), and P‐gp (P < .001) was significantly higher in MTCs compared to FTCs.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

VEGF is a potential therapeutic target in both FTC and MTC in dogs. Cox‐2 and P‐gp may be useful molecular targets in canine MTC.     

Marine Compound Catunaregin Inhibits Angiogenesis through the Modulation of Phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS in vivo and in vitro

Angiogenesis is the formation of blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature. Excessive or uncontrolled angiogenesis is a major contributor to many pathological conditions whereas inhibition of aberrant angiogenesis is beneficial to patients with pathological angiogenesis. Catunaregin is a core of novel marine compound isolated from mangrove associate. The potential anti-angiogenesis of catunaregin was investigated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and zebrafish. HUVECs were treated with different concentrations of catunaregin in the presence or absence of VEGF. The angiogenic phenotypes including cell invasion cell migration and tube formation were evaluated following catunaregin treatment in HUVECs. The possible involvement of AKT, eNOS and ERK1/2 in catunaregin-induced anti-angiogenesis was explored using Western blotting. The anti-angiogenesis of catunaregin was further tested in the zebrafish embryo neovascularization and caudal fin regeneration assays. We found that catunaregin dose-dependently inhibited angiogenesis in both HUVECs and zebrafish embryo neovascularization and zebrafish caudal fin regeneration assays. In addition, catunaregin significantly decreased the phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS, but not the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The present work demonstrates that catunaregin exerts the anti-angiogenic activity at least in part through the regulation of the Akt and eNOS signaling pathways.     

PTEN、VEGF蛋白表达与犬乳腺肿瘤病理学特征的关系

为探讨犬的乳腺肿瘤组织中PTEN和VEGF蛋白表达与临床病理学特征关系的相关性,采用免疫组织化学SP染色法检测了32例乳腺肿瘤组织及6例正常乳腺组织中上述2种蛋白的表达。结果发现:1)PTEN蛋白在正常乳腺组织和良性乳腺肿瘤高表达率为100%,在恶性乳腺肿瘤组织中的高表达率为67%(8/12),两者比较差异极显著(P<0.01);乳腺肿瘤组织中PTEN蛋白表达与犬的年龄、肿瘤大小无关(P>0.05),而与淋巴结转移、组织学分级有关(P<0.01)。2)VEGF蛋白在正常乳腺组织中高表达率为33.3%(2/6),在乳腺肿瘤组织中高表达率为78%(25/32),两者比较差异极显著(P<0.01);乳腺肿瘤组织中VEGF蛋白表达与患病犬的年龄、肿瘤大小无关(P>0.05),而与淋巴结转移有关(P<0.05)。联合检测PTEN、VEGF表达可作为乳腺癌生物学行为和预后判断的重要指标。     

FSH up-regulates angiogenic factors in luteal cells of buffaloes

Follicle-stimulating hormone has been widely used to induce superovulation in buffaloes and cows and usually triggers functional and morphologic alterations in the corpus luteum (CL). Several studies have shown that FSH is involved in regulating vascular development and that adequate angiogenesis is essential for normal luteal development. Angiogenesis is regulated by many growth factors, of which vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) have an established central role. Therefore, we have used a combination of in vitro and in vivo studies to assess the effects of FSH on the expression of VEGF and FGF2 and their receptors in buffalo luteal cells. The in vivo model consisted of 12 buffalo cows, divided into control (n = 6) and superovulated (n = 6) groups, and CL samples were collected on day 6 after ovulation. In this model, we analyzed the gene and protein expression of FGF2 and its receptors and the protein expression of VEGFA systems with the use of real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. In the in vitro model, granulosa cells were collected from small follicles (diameter, 4–6 mm) of buffaloes and cultured for 4 d in serum-free medium with or without FSH (10 ng/mL). To induce in vitro luteinization, LH (250 ng/mL) and fetal bovine serum (10%) were added to the medium, and granulosa cells were maintained in culture for 4 d more. The progesterone concentration in the medium was measured at days 4, 5, and 8 after the beginning of cell culture. Cells were collected at day 8 and subjected to real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence for assessment of the expression of FGF2, VEGF, and their receptors. To address the percentage of steroidogenic and growth factor-expressing cells in the culture, flow cytometry was performed. We observed that in superovulated buffalo CL, the FGF2 system mRNA expression was decreased even as protein expression was increased and that the VEGF protein was increased (P < 0.05). In vitro experiments with granulosa cells showed an increase in the mRNA expression of VEGF and FGF2 and its receptors 1 and 2 and protein expression of VEGF, kinase insert domain receptor, FGF receptor 2, and FGF receptor 3 in cells treated with FSH (P < 0.05), in contrast to the in vivo experiments. Moreover, the progesterone production by FSH-treated cells was elevated compared with untreated cells (P < 0.05). Our findings indicate that VEGF, FGF2, and their receptors were differentially regulated by FSH in vitro and in vivo in buffalo luteal cells, which points toward a role of CL environment in modulating cellular answers to gonadotropins.     

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PPARγ expression in porcine uteroplacenta for regulating of placental angiogenesis through VEGF-mediated signalling

Non-infectious prenatal mortality severely affects the porcine industry, with pathological placentation as a likely key reason. Previous studies have demonstrated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) deficiency causes defects in the uteroplacental vasculature and induces embryonic losses in mice. However, its role in porcine placental angiogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, PPARγ expression was investigated in porcine uteroplacental tissues at gestational day (GD) 25, GD40 and GD70 via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Moreover, the roles of PPARγ in porcine placental angiogenesis were investigated using a cell model of porcine umbilical vein endothelial cells (PUVECs) to conduct proliferation, migration and tube formation assays in vitro and a mouse xenograft model to assess capillary formation in vivo. The results showed that PPARγ was mainly located in the glandular epithelium, trophoblast, amniotic chorion epithelium and vascular endothelium, as indicated by the higher expression levels at GD25 and GD40 than at GD70 in endometrium and by higher expression levels at GD40 and GD70 than at GD25 in placenta. Moreover, PPARγ expression was significantly downregulated in placenta with dead foetus. In PUVECs, knocking out PPARγ significantly inhibited proliferation, migration and tube formation in vitro and inhibited capillary formation in mouse xenografts in vivo by blocking S-phase, promoting apoptosis and downregulating the angiogenic factors of VEGF and its receptors. Overall, the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PPARγ expression in porcine uteroplacental tissue suggests its vital role in endometrial remodelling and placental angiogenesis, and PPARγ regulates placental angiogenesis through VEGF-mediated signalling.     

Serum vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations and postsurgical outcome in dogs with osteosarcoma

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key angiogenic growth factor, playing putative roles in both tumour growth and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to correlate pretreatment serum concentrations of VEGF in dogs with osteosarcoma (OSA) with disease‐free interval (DFI) and overall survival (OS). Additionally, the effect of serum from dogs with OSA on ex vivo canine endothelial cell (EC) growth was determined. Pretreatment platelet‐corrected serum VEGF levels correlated significantly with DFI. No other examined variable predicted outcome. The ability of sera from dogs with OSA to stimulate canine EC proliferation did not correlate with VEGF concentration or outcome. These data support a role for VEGF in the development or progression of metastatic disease in dogs with OSA. The VEGF concentration in tested sera was not a major determinant of ex vivo canine EC proliferation in this study.