VEGF-А in regulation of vascular endothelium functions and ascitic fluid production in ovarian cancer.

Abstract

e17067 Background: Our purpose was to study VEGF-A, VEGF-R1, VEGF-C and FGF21 in the blood serum (BS) and ascitic fluid (AF) in stage I-IV ovarian cancer. Methods: BS in serous cystadenocarcinoma (CAC, n=76) and cystadenoma (CA, n=47) was studied. Histological control was performed in all cases. The data were compared to BS in uterine myoma (UM, n=20) and in 36 healthy donors (N), all women aged 51.5±2.6 years. Native AF was studied in patients with CAC affecting one ovary without treatment (n=26, T3-4N0M0) and ovarian CA (n=12). Levels of VEGF-А, VEGF-R1, VEGF-С and FGF21 were measured by ELISA. Results: Levels of VEGF-A in CA BS exceeded N by 1.8, sVEGF-R1 – by 2, VEGF-C – by 1.7 and FGF21 – by 2.6 times. VEGF-A in T1N0M0 CAC exceeded N and CA by 2.9 and 1.6, in T2N0M0 – by 3.1 and 1.7, in T3NxM0 – by 5.5 and 3, in T4Nx-1M0 – by 5.8 and 3.1 times. sVEGF-R1 was similar in all CAC stages, on average twice higher than N, and similar to CA and UM. Differences were found between VEGF-А in CAC, CA and UM. sVEGF-R1 in all BS exceeded N (Р˂0.05 in all cases). VEGF-С in CA and UM BS exceeded N on average by 1.7 times, and in CAC it was significantly higher than in CA, UM and N. VEGF-С in BS in T1N0M0 was higher than in N and CA by 2.0 and 1.2, in T2N0M0 – by 2.6 and 1.6, in T3NxM0 – by 2.5 and 1.5, in T4Nx-1M0 – by 2.5 and 1.5 times, respectively. Differences in VEGF-С were found only in T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 by 1.3 times (Р˂0.05 in all cases). FGF21 in BS in UM and CA was similar, but differed from N by 2.6 times. FGF21 in all CAC stages exceeded BS and CA by 4 and 1.5 times. VEGF-А in CAC AF exceeded CA by 9.8, sVEGF-R1 – by 3.9; VEGF-C – by 1.6; FGF21 – by 1.7 times. VEGF-А, sVEGF-R1, FGF21 and VEGF-А/sVEGF-R1 in AF in UM and CA were similar to BS, and VEGF-С was lower than in BS by 1.7 times (Р˂0.05 in all cases). VEGF-А and sVEGF-R1 in BS in CAC were higher than in N by 2.9-5.8 and 2 times; in AF – higher than in UM by 9.9 and 4 times. VEGF-С in AF in CAC was lower than in BS on average by 1.6 times (Р˂0.05), and FGF21 did not differed in AF and BS. Conclusions: VEGF in SВ correlates with CAC stages distinguishing early and later ones. VEGF-А is higher than VEGF-C in BS and AF in all tumors. The VEGF family regulates functions of the endothelium of lymphatic and blood vasculature influencing oncogenesis and the occurrence of ascites.