Effects of estrogen on expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in human salivary mucoepidermoid carcinoma

    WEN Deª²Sheng, WU Junª²Zheng, LI Xiaoª²Xia, ZHU Xiuª²Li, BAI Zhongª²Cheng, LI Feng, LI Yan, LI Jie

    Department of Oral Biology, Qindu Stomatological College, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the effects of estrogen on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human salivary mucoepidermoid carcinoma cell line Mc3. METHODS: Effects of 17betaª²estradiol (E2) on the expression of VEGF in highly metastatic salivary mucoepidermoid carcinoma Mc3 cells were investigated with the methods of immunohistochemistry and tail vein injection of the cells into nude mice. The expression of estrogen receptor (ER) in Mc3 cells was also determined by immunohistochemistry assay. RESULTS: In vitro, the VEGF expression was significantly higher in Mc3 cells treated with E2 at 10-7 mol/L for 24 h than that in the controls. The number of metastatic foci on the lung surface in the nude mice treated with the drug at 5.2 ¦Ìg/d and in the controls were 119¡À70 and 14¡À12 respectively. Consisting with the assay in vitro, the higher VEGF expression was also detected in the samples of foci in the E2ª²treated nude mice. By immunohistochemistry, we found the nuclear ER expression in vitro as well as in vivo. CONCLUSION: Physiological concentration of estrogen may enhance the expression of VEGF in human salivary mucoepidermoid carcinoma. ......