OBJECTIVETo construct the expression vector of human tissue factor (TF), and investigate the influence of TF/coagulant factor VIIa (FVIIa) complex on the transcriptional expression of urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA) and u-PA receptor (u-PAR) in human ovarian cancer.

METHODSThe human TF cDNA was obtained from placenta by RT-PCR and then inserted into eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3 to obtain the TF-pcDNA3 combinant. This combinant was transfected into human ovarian cancer cell line A2780 by lipofectamine. Stably-transfected cells A2780/TF were screened. A2780 and A2780/TF cell lines were stimulated by FVIIa respectively, and the transcriptional levels of u-PA and u-PAR were examined by RT-PCR.

RESULTS(1) The constructed product was identified as TF-pcDNA3 combinant by sequencing. (2) TF was highly expressed not only at transcriptional level in the stable-transfected A2780/TF cell (transfected cell 3.91 +/- 0.28, untransfected cell 0.97 +/- 0.23, P < 0.01), but also on the membrane of the cell surface [transfected cell (48.56 +/- 9.53)%, untransfected cell (2.73 +/- 1.15)%, P < 0.01]. (3) The u-PA and u-PAR mRNA levels in A2780 cell line did not change significantly after stimulated by FVIIa; (4) While stimulated by FVIIa, the u-PAR mRNA levels in A2780/TF cells increased significantly in both dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, while the u-PA mRNA levels did not change significantly; (5) In the A2780/TF cell line the enhanced expression of u-PAR mRNA by FVIIa was significantly inhibited by coincubated with anti-TF antibody.

CONCLUSIONTF/FVIIa complex could up-regulate the transcription of u-PAR in human ovarian cancer cells so as to enhance tumor invasion and metastasis.