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J Hu

Publications and source records attributed to J Hu.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Characterization of novel simian immunodeficiency viruses from red-capped mangabeys from Nigeria (SIVrcmNG409 and -NG411).

Two novel simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) strains from wild-caught red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus torquatus) from Nigeria were characterized. Sequence analysis of the fully sequenced SIV strain rcmNG411 (SIVrcmNG411) and gag and pol sequence of SIVrcmNG409 revealed that they were genetically most closely related to the recently characterized SIVrcm from Gabon (SIVrcmGB1). Thus, red-capped mangabeys from distant geographic locations harbor a common lineage of SIV. SIVrcmNG411 carried a vpx gene in addition to vpr, suggesting a common evolutionary ancestor with SIVsm (from sooty mangabeys). However, SIVrcm was only marginally closer to SIVsm in that region than to any of the other lentiviruses. SIVrcm showed the highest similarity in pol with SIVdrl, isolated from a drill, a primate that is phylogenetically distinct from mangabey monkeys, and clustered with other primate lentiviruses (primarily SIVcpz [from chimpanzees] and SIVagmSab [from African green monkeys]) discordantly in different regions of the genome, suggesting a history of recombination. Despite the genetic relationship to SIVcpz in the pol gene, SIVrcmNG411 did not replicate in chimpanzee peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), although two other viruses unrelated to SIVcpz, SIVmndGB1 (from mandrills) and SIVlhoest (from L'Hoest monkeys), were able to grow in chimpanzee PBMC. The CCR5 24-bp deletion previously described in red-capped mangabeys from Gabon was also observed in Nigerian red-capped mangabeys, and SIVrcmNG411, like SIVrcmGB1, used CCR2B and STRL33 as coreceptors for virus entry. SIVrcm, SIVsm, SIVmndGB1, and all four SIVlhoest isolates but not SIVsun (from sun-tailed monkeys) replicated efficiently in human PBMC, suggesting that the ability to infect the human host can vary within one lineage.

Alleles↗
PubMed2001

Alteration of medullary dorsal horn neuronal activity following inferior alveolar nerve transection in rats.

The effects of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) transection on escape behavior and MDH neuronal activity to noxious and nonnoxious stimulation of the face were precisely analyzed. Relative thresholds for escape from mechanical stimulation applied to the whisker pad area ipsilateral to the transection were significantly lower than that for the contralateral and sham-operated whisker pad until 28 days after the transection, then returned to the preoperative level at 40 days after transection. A total of 540 neurons were recorded from the medullary dorsal horn (MDH) of the nontreated naive rats [low-threshold mechanoreceptive (LTM), 27; wide dynamic range (WDR), 31; nociceptive specific (NS), 11] and sham-operated rats with skin incision (LTM, 34; WDR, 30; NS, 23) and from the ipsilateral (LTM, 82; WDR, 82; NS, 31) and contralateral MDH relative to the IAN transection (LTM, 77; WDR, 82; NS, 33). The electrophysiological properties of these neurons were precisely analyzed. Background activity of WDR neurons on the ipsilateral side relative to the transection was significantly increased at 2-14 days after the operation as compared with that of naive rats. Innocuous and noxious mechanical-evoked responses of LTM and WDR neurons were significantly enhanced at 2-14 days after IAN transection. The mean area of the receptive fields of WDR neurons was significantly larger on the ipsilateral MDH at 2-7 days after transection than that of naive rats. We could not observe any modulation of thermal responses of WDR and NS neurons following IAN transection. Also, no MDH neurons were significantly affected in the rats with sham operations. The present findings suggest that the increment of neuronal activity of WDR neurons in the MDH following IAN transection may play an important role in the development of the mechano-allodynia induced in the area adjacent to the area innervated by the injured nerve.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Firing patterns and morphological features of neurons in the pigeon nucleus rotundus.

In birds, the thalamic nucleus rotundus relays visual information from the midbrain optic tectum to the forebrain ectostriatum. Using brain slices, the present study investigates the firing patterns and morphological features of 41 neurons in various divisions of the pigeon nucleus rotundus. The results indicate that these rotundal cells could be physiologically categorized into two types according to their firing patterns in response to depolarizing current pulses. Type I cells (76%) are characterized by a multi-phase firing pattern producing a single spike, late-spiking and fast-spiking as current intensity increases. Cells of type II (24%) are characterized by a rapid spiking-inactivation, discharging only one or two small spikes at the onset of current injections. However, intracellular staining shows no significant morphological differences between the two physiological types of cells in terms of somatic and dendritic field sizes, or an average density of dendritic varicosities, although each cell type includes both small- and large-sized dendritic fields. It is likely that the firing patterns and morphological features of rotundal neurons might not be correlated with each other or with rotundal divisions.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Low magnitude of tensile strain inhibits IL-1beta-dependent induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and induces synthesis of IL-10 in human periodontal ligament cells in vitro.

Applied mechanical loading induces inflammation in the periodontal ligament (PDL). However, the mechanisms involved in bone deposition at tension sites in an inflammatory environment are not clear. Here, in an in vitro model system, we show that equibiaxial tensile strain of low magnitude (TENS) provokes potent anti-inflammatory signals in PDL cells. TENS inhibits IL-1beta-induced synthesis of IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 by inhibiting their mRNA expression, and thus significantly suppresses the amplification of IL-1beta-induced inflammatory responses in PDL cells. Additionally, as an anti-inflammatory signal, TENS induces IL-10 synthesis in the presence and absence of IL-1beta. These observations are the first to demonstrate that TENS antagonizes IL-1beta actions on PDL cells by (i) inhibiting IL-1beta-induced transcriptional regulation of proinflammatory cytokines, and (ii) inducing synthesis of IL-10, which may post-transcriptionally suppress the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Reversed effects of RU486 and anisomycin on memory retention of light exposure or corticosterone facilitation in the dark-incubated chicks.

Memory formation for a weak passive avoidance task in the dark-incubated chicks is facilitated by light exposure or corticosterone administration at optimally pre-hatch time points. To explore the potential mechanisms underlying activation of brain memory function development by light or corticosterone exposure during late embryo, steroid receptor antagonist RU486, or protein synthetic inhibitor anisomycin, was administered intraembryonically to the embryos of either only 24-h light-exposure or complete dark-hatched on embryonic day 20 (E20). The results showed that RU486 and anisomycin significantly retarded the facilitated retention both by light and corticosterone exposure in the dark-incubated chicks. They also suggest that the act of corticosterone or light exposure on the development of brain memory function is mediated by the effect of steroid receptor, or afterward on related protein syntheses that is involved in memory formation of post-hatched performance of day-old chicks.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Effects of arginine- and lysine-vasopressin on phospholipase C activity, intracellular calcium concentration and prostaglandin F2alpha secretion in pig endometrial cells.

Oxytocin and vasopressin are related peptides that have receptors in the uterus. Species from families other than Suidae produce only arginine-vasopressin; in contrast, pigs apparently express both arginine- and lysine-vasopressin. The aim of this study was to determine whether arginine- or lysine-vasopressin would activate phospholipase C, increase intracellular calcium concentration [Ca(2+)](i) and stimulate PGF(2alpha) production in enriched cultures of stromal, glandular epithelial and luminal epithelial cells from pig endometrium. Cells were obtained from gilts on day 16 after oestrus by differential enzymatic digestion and sieve separation. After 96 h in culture, the cells were treated with 0 or 100 nmol arginine- or lysine-vasopressin l(-1). The responses to 100 nmol oxytocin l(-1) and 100 nmol GnRH l(-1) were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Consistent with previous results, oxytocin stimulated phospholipase C activity (P < 0.05), increased [Ca(2+)](i) (P < 0.05) and promoted PGF(2alpha) secretion (P < 0.05) from stromal and glandular epithelial cells. Activity of phospholipase C, [Ca(2+)](i) and PGF(2alpha) release were also increased (P < 0.05) by arginine-vasopressin in stromal cells, but the responses were less (P < 0.01) than those induced by oxytocin. An oxytocin antagonist attenuated the [Ca(2+)](i) response of stromal cells to both oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin. Sequential treatment of cells with oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin indicated that oxytocin desensitized the response to oxytocin, but arginine-vasopressin did not similarly desensitize the response to oxytocin. In glandular and luminal epithelial cells, arginine-vasopressin did not stimulate phospholipase C activity, [Ca(2+)](i) or PGF(2alpha) secretion. Neither GnRH nor lysine-vasopressin induced phospholipase C activity, increased [Ca(2+)](i) or stimulated PGF(2alpha) production in any endometrial cell type. These results indicate that oxytocin receptors can bind arginine-vasopressin more readily than they bind lysine-vasopressin. Type 1 vasopressin receptors may also exist in endometrium predominantly on cells other than stromal, glandular epithelial and luminal epithelial cells, as in previous studies both arginine-vasopressin and lysine-vasopressin stimulated phospholipase C activity in endometrial explants to a similar extent as oxytocin.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The effect of fluid shear stress on ICAM-1 expression of rat brain microvascular endothelial cells.

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is an adherence molecule that is an important factor in many pathophysiological processes such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis and inflammation. It is secretion of endothelial cells by a variety of biochemical stimulations. But hemodynamic forces can also induce various functional changes in vascular endothelium. Some researches have proved that shear stress can modulate the expression of ICAM-1. But most of them examine the regulation of expression of ICAM-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. There is no detail on the effect of shear stress (SS) on ICAM-1 expression of microvascular endothelial cells (RBMECs). In this experiment, we use cultured rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (RBMECs). By using the parallel plate flow chamber method, we give two magnitudes of lamminar shear stresses (0.2 dyn/cm2, 0.4 dyn/cm2) for different perieods of time on the slides of cells. Immunostaining method and image analysis shows a specific upregulation in ICAM-1 expression on RBMECs, which is different from endothelial cells of other species or vascular beds. Expression of ICAM-1 is increased 0.5h after the onset of SS, and reached its highest level 4h after onset of SS, then declines after that. The effect is time-dependent, not force magnitude-dependent. Endothelial cell surface expression of ICAM-1 in the supernatants of RBMECs exposed to SS was not modified excluding the possibility that RBMECs exposed to SS synthesize factors that upregulate ICAM-1. The experiment data are relevant to the current understanding of basic mechanisms that explain the signal transudation pathway occurring inside the endothelial cells under the effect of SS.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Anaerobic biological treatment of Lincomycin production wastewater].

The high-strength Lincomycin production wastewater containing toxic and refractory substances treated by lab-scale mesophilic UASB reactor was described. When the reactor was operated in influent COD 8000-14,000 mg/L and HRT 10 h, the volumetric loading rate and COD removal rate could reach 20-35 kg/(m3.d) and 50%-55%, respectively. The granular sludge might be formatted by using a bit longer acclimation time, adjusting and maintaining fairly high surface hydraulic loading rate of 0.2-0.4 m3/(m2.h), influent COD of 2000-3000 mg/L and sludge loading rate of 0.2-0.5 kg/(kg.d). The anaerobic kinetic constants of Vmax and Ks for the wastewater treatment were 1.3 d-1 and 8133 mg/L, respectively. The non-biodegradable substances accounted for about 30% of total COD, which was the important factor of relative low COD removal rate for the wastewater.

Anaerobiosis↗
PubMed2001

[A preliminary study of loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 14 in glioblastoma].

OBJECTIVE: In order to locate the deletion areas probably harboring tumor suppressor genes on chromosome 14 and provide clues for discovering novel tumor suppressor genes. METHODS: Fourteen loci on chromosome 14 were examined to detect loss of heterozygosity(LOH) in 20 cases of glioblastoma(GBM) by PCR based microsatellite polymorphism analyses, in which fluorescence-labeled primers and Perkin Elmer 377 DNA Sequencer were applied. RESULTS: 50% informative cases of GBM displayed LOH on chromosome 14; 38.2% of informative loci showed LOH in our series, in which the most frequent LOH was observed at locus D14S65(57.1%) on 14q31-32.3 and in the chromosomal region from locus D14S63 (46.7%) to D14S74(47.1%) on 14q21-24.1. 32% of informative cases displayed LOH on 14p and 50% on 14q. No microsatellite instability was observed. CONCLUSION: Loss of genetic material on chromosome 14q may play an important role in molecular genetic pathogenesis of GBM. The chromosomal regions at D14S65 on 14q31-32.3 and from D14S63 to D14S74 on 14q21-24.1 may harbor novel tumor suppressor genes associated with GBM.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed2001

Mechanosensitive channel currents recorded in rat microvascular endothelial cells with whole-cell mode.

Using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique, we recorded delayed outward currents in rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (BRMECs), which were nearly completely inhibited by 20 mmol/L extracellular TEA-Cl and 5 mM extracellular CsCl. Whole-cell currents were elicited under voltage clamp condition by 2100 ms depolarizing voltage pulses applied every 7 s between -100 to 90 mV in 10 mV increment from a holding potential of -100 mV. The currents were defined as delayed rectified K+ currents (IKv), which were inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by bath application of TEA-Cl, with an IC50 approximately 2.0 mM, similar to that reported on IKv in other preparations. In the present of mechanical force, outward currents were increased in amplitude as compared with controls. These mechanical force induced currents were also defined as IKv, which are different from previous described mechanosensitive currents with characteristic of inward rectifier.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Monoclonal anti-idiotype antibody bearing the internal image of nasopharyngeal carcinoma associated antigen.

OBJECTIVE: To generate and characterize anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody (Ab2) that bears the internal image of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) associated antigen. METHODS: Using NPC monoclonal antibody (Ab1) as immunogen, hybridoma cells were obtained by fusion of SP2/0 myeloma cells with immunized murine spleen cells. Positive clones were screened by Sandwich ELISA and a binding inhibition test. To determine whether Ab2 possess the internal image of the original antigen or not, mice were immunized with Ab2. ELISA and the competitive inhibition assay tested anti-anti-idiotypic antibodies (Ab3) in anti-sera. Cell-mediated immunity to tumors induced by Ab2 was investigated by a delayed-type hypersensitivity response and the mouse T-cell proliferation assay. RESULTS: Anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibodies against the monoclonal anti-NPC antibodies FC2 and HNL5 were generated that recognize NPC associated antigens. These Ab2, which were designated 2H4 and 5D3, could inhibit the binding of FC2 or HNL5 to NPC cell lines. Anti-sera from the immunized mice, which contained Ab3, could compete with FC2 or HNL5 for binding with NPC cell by a competitive inhibition assay. Mice immunized with 2H4 or 5D3 coupled with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), showed a positive and specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction after stimulation by NPC cells. The mouse T cell proliferative assay indicated that there was a significantly higher proliferative response of the splenocytes in the experimental groups than that in control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-idiotypic antibodies 2H4 and 5D3 are Ab2 beta bearing the internal image of the epitope of NPC associated antigen. Either 2H4 or 5D3 expressing three-dimensional shapes that resemble the structure of natural antigens could induce humoral and cellular immune response.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Therapeutic antitumor response to cervical cancer in mice immunized with U14 vaccines transfected with costimulatory B7 gene.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of U14 vaccine transfected with the B7 gene in inducing antitumor immune response to murine cervical carcinoma in Chinese 615-strain mice. METHODS: A recombinant retroviral plasmid vector expressing mouse B7-1 gene (pLNSX-mB7) was transfected into 615-strain mouse cervical carcinoma cell line No. 14 (U14) by electroporation to set up a highly-expressed mB7-1 U14 cell clonal strain (B7+ U14). In vivo experiments: (1) B7+ U14 vaccine was primed to protect the 615-strain mice against U14 re-challenge. (2) B7+ U14 vaccine was injected into tumor-bearing mice with different tumor sizes. Lifetimes and tumor sizes were recorded. In vitro cytotoxicity assay: Mice were immunized with B7+ U14 or U14 vaccine and 2 weeks later, spleen cells of those mice were cultured for 2 days. The cytotoxicity of these cells against U14 was detected by 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. RESULTS: We obtained several B7-1 high expression clonal U14 lines. In vivo experiment, we did not find tumor growing in 3 of the 6 mice primed by B7+ U14 vaccine during their entire life after re-challenge with U14. The other 3 mice developed tumors and their average survival time was longer than that of the control group (P < 0.01). All 6 mice grew tumors in the control group. When the transplanted tumors became palpable, the mice were randomly divided into 3 groups to be injected with B7+ U14 vaccine. It was effective for tumor-bearing mice only when the tumor diameters were < 3 mm. When the diameters were > or = 3 mm, it was not efficacious to inject B7+ U14 vaccine (P < 0.05). In vitro cytotoxicity assay, cytotoxic T lymphocytes induced by B7+ U14 vaccine had a higher cytotoxicity against U14 than that induced by U14 vaccine (F = 310.8, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Vaccines of cervical cancer cells transfected with the costimulatory molecule B7 gene can induce antitumor immune protection in host mice against U14 re-challenge. This treatment may cure part of the tumor-bearing mice but be restricted by tumor size. The results suggest that transfecting the B7 gene into cervical cancer as a cell vaccine may be an efficient supplementary method to treat cervical cancer after operation.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Vitamin D receptor and PCNA expression in severe parathyroid hyperplasia of uremic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression in parathyroid proliferation and resistance of parathyroid glands to 1,25(OH)2D3 with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). METHODS: This study used archive parathyroid with 7 uremic patients. The expression of proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and VDR was evaluated in nineteen-surgically excised parathyroid tissues, including 11 diffuse hyperplasia (DH-type) and 8 nodular hyperplasia (NH-type) of parathyroid glands, by immunohistochemistry (avidin-biotin complex method). RESULTS: The weight of parathyroid in SHPT was remarkably increased by 16.1 times. The numbers of parathyroid cells were increased by 1.86 times. The rate of PCNA was remarkably increased in parathyroid hyperplasia with SHPT compared with that in control group [(6.35 +/- 3.36)@1000 vs (1.73 +/- 1.31)@1000, P < 0.001]. The number of PCNA in DH-type was lower than that in NH-type (P < 0.001). The density of VDR in the parathyroid with SHPT was significantly decreased [(40.28 +/- 13.13)% vs (83.79 +/- 3.77)%, P < 0.001], VDR immunoreactivity expression in NH-type was lower than that in DH-type [(27.14 +/- 4.12)% vs (49.84 +/- 7.33)%, P < 0.001]. A significantly negative correlation was found between VDR density and the weight of the parathyroid (r = -0.46, P < 0.05), the same as VDR and PCNA (r = -0.75, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: VDR density was significantly decreased in parathyroid tissue of uremic patients showing nodular hyperplasia compared with that in diffuse hyperplasia and there was significantly negative correlation between VDR density and the weight of the parathyroid, and this may contribute to the progression of SHPT. Furthermore, VDR deficiency may cause the resistance of parathyroid cells to 1,25(OH)2D3, in part.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Anti-tumor immune response to cervical carcinoma induced by costimulatory molecule B7 gene in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of B7 costimulatory molecule on inducing anti-tumor immune response to cervical carcinoma in vivo. METHODS: We transfected mouse B7 gene into murine cervix carcinoma cell line U14 by electroporation, and obtained several high-expressed mB7 U14 cell clonal strains (B7+ U14) detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In vivo experiments: (1) 1 x 10(7) B7+ U14 cells were inoculated into the back of inbred 615-strain mice by subcutaneously injection to determine their tumorigenicity (n = 6). (2) The mice primed by B7+ U14 (1 x 10(6)) cells were re-challenged with 1 x 10(7) wild type U14 to observe the immune protection of these mice against the wild type U14 (n = 6). As control, (3) wild type U14 cells were inoculated the same as the experimental group (1) (n = 6). (4) The mice both primed and re-challenged with 1 x 10(7) wild type U14 the same as the experimental group (2) (n = 6). All mice lifetime and tumor sizes were recorded. In vitro cytotoxiaty assay: the mice were immunized with B7+ U14 or the wild type U14 by intraperitoneal injection (n = 4 x 2) and two weeks late those mice spleen cells were obtained and cultured for two days. The cytotoxiaty of these cells against the wild U14 was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. RESULTS: RT-PCR showed positive results in B7+ U14 cells, while negative in U14 cells. In vivo experiment: (1) after the inoculation of the B7+ U14 cells into the back of inbred mice, they lost their tumorigenicity greatly compared to wild type U14 (P < 0.01). (2) Primed by B7+ U14, mice protected themselves effectively against rechallenged (P < 0.01). In vitro cytotoxiaty assay, the cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) induced by B7+ U14 had a higher cytotoxiaty against the wild type U14 than that induced by wild type U14 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Cervical carcinoma cells transfected with constimulatory molecules B7 gene can decrease their tumorigenicity greatly, and induce anti-tumor immune protection of inbred mice against wild type U14 cells re-challenged. The results suggest that to transfect B7 gene into cervical cancer expression may be an effect method for treating cervical cancer in clinical.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[The adhesion and seeding of NIH3T3 fibroblast on PHB surfaces].

Biodegradable polymers have been widely used in the field of tissue engineering. The adhesive characteristic of polymer surfaces is critical for cell seeding and growth. The adhesion and growth of NIH3T3 fibroblast on poly-beta-hydroxybutrpic acid (PHB) was studied here, and the cell-surface adhesion strength was measured in a shear flow detachment assay. It showed that the critical shear stress for cell detachment was relatively low on PHB, thus cells tend to aggregate and detach from surfaces. On the other hand, cells tend to spread and formed monolayer on poly-lysine coated PHB surface. When the PHB foams scaffolds were coated by poly-lysine, the seeding percentage of cells was also greatly enhanced.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2001

[Significance of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in serum of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: This study was to determine the pretherapeutic serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to elucidate the relation of its level with clinical characteristics and metastasis of HCC. METHODS: 115 HCC patients, 40 patients with benign liver lesions and 30 healthy control subjects were included in this study. Serum VEGF level was measured with the quantitative sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, R&D systems). RESULTS: Serum VEGF level in HCC [mean +/- s, (465.62 +/- 336.24) pg/ml] was significantly elevated as compared to those in patients with benign liver lesions[(159.54 +/- 120.58) pg/ml] and those of the normal controls [(123.53 +/- 51.84) pg/ml] though the mean VEGF level of benign liver lesions and normal controls were not significantly different. Serum VEGF concentration showed a positive rate of 77.4%, 25%, 3.3% respectively in HCC, benign liver lesions and normal controls. Of 115 HCC patients, serum VEGF level in patients with portal vein(PV) emboli [n = 26, mean, (582.76 +/- 441.89) pg/ml], with metastasis [n = 43, (548.29 +/- 438.57) pg/ml] or with large HCC lesions (> 5 cm in diameter) [n = 69, (554.43 +/- 369.99) pg/ml] were significantly higher than those without PV-emboli [n = 89, (431.39 +/- 292.84) pg/ml], without metastasis [n = 72, (416.24 +/- 247.27) pg/ml] or with small HCC lesions [n = 42, (328.67 +/- 227.47) pg/ml]. Serum VEGF levels in stage I, II, III, IV a and IV b HCC patients were 340.6 pg/ml, (451.55 +/- 307.84) pg/ml, (397.44 +/- 257.18) pg/ml, (486.10 +/- 397.73) pg/ml, (647.93 +/- 344.56) pg/ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The pretherapeutic serum VEGF level of HCC appears to reflect its potential activity of vascular invasion and metastasis.

Adult↗