BACKGROUNDHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. In order to investigate the molecular biologic mechanism of HCC's development, we studied the expressions of SE-1, CD105 and CD31 in tumor endothelial cells (TECs) of HCC and in the serum of rats.

METHODSWe analyzed the expressions of SE-1, CD31 and CD105 in rat HCC tumor tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Twenty HCC bearing rats and eighteen normal rats were examined for the expressions of SE-1, CD31 and CD105 antigens in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSSE-1, CD31 and CD105 antigens were detected both in HCC tissue and in normal liver tissue with higher expressions of CD31 and CD105 in HCC while the SE-1 antigen expression was higher in normal liver. Similarly, serum CD31 and CD105 in rats with HCC were significantly increased compared with normal rats (t = 2.8628, P = 0.0086; t = 4.4922, P < 0.0001, respectively). In contrast, SE-1 antigen in HCC rat serum was significantly decreased compared with normal rats (t = 3.4983, P = 0.0011).

CONCLUSIONSE-1, CD31 and CD105 are closely related with liver tumor angiogenesis, which is similar to their performances in terms of their expressions in the serum.

Animals ; Antigens, CD ; blood ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood supply ; chemistry ; Endothelial Cells ; chemistry ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; blood supply ; chemistry ; Male ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; blood ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred BUF

OBJECTIVETo investigate the inhibitory effect of dehydroepaimdrosterone (DHEA) on the growth of transplanted Morris hepatomas (7288CTC) in vivo in rats.

METHODS21 Buffalo rats were randomly devided into 4 groups, including one blank control group (n = 5), one group for tumor-bearing control (n = 6), and 2 experimental groups with DHEA (n = 6) or DHEA-s (n = 4). DHEA or DHEA-s was fed to the rats for 4 weeks immediately after Morris hepatomas (7288CTC) was implanted in both flanks. Phenotypes of the spleen lymphocytes were examined by flow cytometry, Akt and PTEN expression in tumor cells was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSTumor weights of DHEA treated group were less than those of the control (P less than 0.05), the inhibitory rate was 43%. The results of Western blot and immunohistochemistry showed that in DHEA tumor group,the expression of phosphorilated Akt protein was decreased, the expression of PTEN was enhanced, the percentage of CD3 positive cells and the ratio of CD4/CD8 were increased (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDHEA can inhibit tumor growth, possibly via the inhibition of the Akt signaling pathway as well as modulating the immune function.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; pharmacology ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred BUF ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects