Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: Uveal melanoma develops in one of the most capillary-rich tissues of the body and has a pure hematogeneous dissemination. Understanding of expression of angiogenic factors in uveal melanoma could be of major importance for new treatment modalities. In this study, we determined the expression of angiogenic factors in vitro and in vivo. Methods:VEGF A, B, C, D, b-FGF, were determined by semi-quantitative PCR in uveal melanoma cell lines and normal uveal melanocytes. VEGF A 165 and b-FGF protein was measured in supernatant of human uveal melanoma cell lines and normal uveal melanocytes with ELISA. Injection of human uveal melanoma cells (OCM-1) into the anterior part of a murine eye was used as an experimental tumor model Results: In vitro most uveal melanoma cell lines and normal melanocytes expressed VEGF A (121,165,189),B,C and D to various extents. Differences between normal melanocytes and uveal melanoma cell lines were seen on protein level measured with ELISA for VEGF A 165, where normal melanocytes had no production in supernatant. At transcriptional level 3/10 uveal melanoma cell lines had expression of b-FGF. On protein level 8/10 uveal melanoma cell lines had b-FGF in supernatant. Experimentally-induced angiogenesis in vitro was seen in cell lines with VEGF A expression by PCR and production of VEGF A 165. In vivo all uveal melanoma tumors expressed VEGF B and C. In some cases there was expression of VEGF A (121,165). Conclusions: The current data suggest that VEGF B, C and D play a role in angiogenesis of uveal melanoma.
Keywords: melanoma • animal model • growth factors/growth factor receptors