• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1303-1308
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• 2000

Objectives : It has been known that vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), as an endothelial cell-specific mitogen, induces angiogenesis, and possesses vascular permeability and procoagulant properties. Peritumoral brain edema(PTBE) is a common accompaniment of malignant gliomas. It results from microvascular extravasation of plasma and proteins through the interendothelial spaces. The correlation between pathological grading, PTBE, neovascularization, and the expression of VEGF were analyzed in 31 patients with astrocytic tumors. Methods : Astrocytic tumor samples(8 astrocytomas, 14 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 9 glioblastomas) from 31 patients( 21 males and 10 females : average age $37{\pm}24$ years) who underwent surgery were examined retrospectively for the expression of VEGF and CD31(microvasculature) immunohistochemically. The extent of PTBE was examined by using preoperative CT or MRI as an edema index(EI). In addition to VEGF and CD31, several causative factors including tumor size, histologic type were compared with EI. Results : Only one of 8 astrocytomas, and majority of high grade(21 of 23 anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas) tumors demonstrated PTBE(p<0.05). The majority of high grade tumors showed higher expression of VEGF (p<0.01). High grade tumors showed even higher CD31 expression(p<0.05), however, there was no close correlation between expression of VEGF and CD31. The EI was increased significantly, just as VEGF(p<0.01), but CD31 expression was not correlated with high EI. Conclusion : These data suggest that VEGF expression is closely correlated with PTBE and histological grading in astrocytic tumors. Microvasculature(CD31) in tumors is highly correlated with histological grading, however, shows no correlation with the expression of VEGF and PTBE.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.263-268
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• 2004

The sprouting of vascular endothelial cells is an initial step in angiogenesis. Matrix metalloproteinases can associate with integrin on the surface of endothelial cells, thereby promoting angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to test if fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) can regulate the sprouting in porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. FGF-2 induced sprouting and secretion of MMP-2 and plasmin. FGF-2 also induced the expression of integrin Mac-1, which is inhibited IS20I. Addition of BB-94, a 2-antiplasmin and IS20I inhibited FGF-2-induced sprouting activity. Therefore, FGF-2-induced sprouting activity in PPAECs may be accomplished by secretion of proteinases such as MMP-2 and plasmin and integrin expression.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2014

Polymer multilayered hydrogels were prepared on a titanium alloy (Ti) substrate using a layer-by-layer (LBL) process to load a cell growth factor. Two water-soluble polymers were used to fabricate the multilayered hydrogels, a phospholipid polymer with both N, N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) units and 4-vinylphenylboronic acid (VPBA) units [poly(MPC-co-DMAEMA-co-VPBA) (PMDV)], and the polysaccharide alginate (ALG). PMDV interacted with ALG through a selective reaction between the VPBA units in PMDV and the hydroxyl groups in ALG and through electrostatic interactions between the DMAEMA units in PMDA and the anionic carboxyl groups in ALG. First, the Ti substrate was covered with photoreactive poly vinyl alcohol, and then the Ti alloy was alternately immersed in the respective polymer solutions to form the PMDV/ALG multilayered hydrogels. In this multilayered hydrogel, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was introduced in different layers during the LbL process under mild conditions. Release of VEGF from the multilayered hydrogels was dependent on the location; however, release continued for 2 weeks. Endothelial cells adhered to the hydrogel and proliferated, and these corresponded to the VEGF release profile from the hydrogel. We concluded that multilayered hydrogels composed of PMDV and ALG could be loaded with cell growth factors that have high activity and can control cell functions. Therefore, this system provides a cell function controllable substrate based on the controlled release of biologically active proteins.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.45-45
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• 2004

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.235-244
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• 2004

Objective: The effects on spermatogenesis by expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were investigated. Materials and Methods: Testicular specimens were obtained from 40 infertile males due to primary testicular failure and from 10 fertile males with other urologic problems. The specimens of infertile males were devided into 4 groups according to histologic findings; Sertoli cell only syndrome (A), maturation arrest (B), hypospermatogenesis (C) and sloughing and disorganization (D). VEGF and ET-1 expression were detected with immunohistochemical stain. Results: VEGF expression on Leydig cell was detected in all cases. But, VEGF expression rates on germ cell were significantly higher in infertile group B, C, D compared to that of the control group (p<0.05). ET-1 expression rates on Leydig cell was significantly lower in all infertile group compared to that of the control group (p<0.05). But, ET-1 expression rates on Sertoli cell was significantly higher in all infertile group compared to that of the control group (p>0.05). In germ cell of infertile group, LH, FSH and prolactin were significantly decreased, and estradiol is increased in positive stain group on ET-1 immunohistochemical stain (p<0.05). VEGF and ET-1 expression were not correlated mean seminiferous tubule diameter (p>0.05). Conclusions: Abnormal spermatogenesis would be reflected in VEGF expression in germ cell.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.355-363
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• 2005

This study aimed to investigate the cerebroprotective effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on permanent focal cerebral ischemia in Sprague-Dawley rats. Right middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded for 6 and 24 hours by an intraluminal monofilament technique. An open cranial window was made on the right parietal bone for determination of continuous changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by laser-Doppler flowmetry. The infarct size was morphometrically determined using the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride technique. Brain edema was determined by measuring brain water content. In normal rats, rCBF was significantly increased by intravenous infusion of VEGF for 10 minutes. The VEGF-induced increase in rCBF was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with suramin, a heparin-binding growth factor inhibitor as well as $N^{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. In focal cerebral ischemic rats, the amplitude of decrease in rCBF during ischemic period was significantly less in VEGF-treated group, compared with that in vehicle-treated group. The cerebral infarct size was reduced by VEGF in a dose-dependent manner. The brain edema formation was dose-dependently reduced by VEGF in 24-hour MCA occlusion group but not in 6-hour MCA occlusion group. It is suggested that VEGF not only improves the rCBF during cerebral ischemic period but also reduces the brain edema formation, and thereby exert a protective effect on focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.423-431
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• 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of curcumin on brain hypoxic-ischemic (HI) damage in neonatal rats and whether the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway is involved. Brain HI damage models were established in neonatal rats, which received the following treatments: curcumin by intraperitoneal injection before injury, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) by subcutaneous injection after injury, and VEGF by intracerebroventricular injection after injury. This was followed by neurological evaluation, hemodynamic measurements, histopathological assessment, TUNEL assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting to assess the expression of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-Akt, Akt, and VEGF. Compared with rats that underwent sham operation, rats with brain HI damage showed remarkably increased neurological deficits, reduced right blood flow volume, elevated blood viscosity and haematocrit, and aggravated cell damage and apoptosis; these injuries were significantly improved by curcumin pretreatment. Meanwhile, brain HI damage induced the overexpression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and VEGF, while curcumin pretreatment inhibited the expression of these proteins. In addition, IGF-1 treatment rescued the curcumin-induced down-regulated expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and VEGF, and VEGF overexpression counteracted the inhibitory effect of curcumin on brain HI damage. Overall, pretreatment with curcumin protected against brain HI damage by targeting VEGF via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in neonatal rats.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2002

Genistein that is a component of soy has been reported to have a protective effect on the carcinogenesis of various tumors and to inhibit the growth of a wide variety of tumor cell in vitro. Angiogenesis is an essential process for the carcinogenesis, growth, invasion and metastasis of cancer and genistein has been suggested to act as natural anti-angiogenic agent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of genistein on the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in hamster buccal pouch oral carcinogenesis model induced by 9, 10-dimethyl 1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA). Experimental group that were supplied with 0.1mg/day genistein were sacrificed by time schedules and routinely processed for immunohistochemical examination of VEGF. In genistein treated group, carcinogenesis was retarded with respect to the acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, and epithelial dysplasia. Immunohistochemical study showed that the VEGF protein of genistein group was less expressed than that of the control group. (p<0.05) Thus, it is postulated that genistein has chemopreventive effect on the oral carcinogenesis, and this chemopreventive effect, at least partly, is originated from the anti-angiogenic effect of genistein

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2009

Angiogenesis is essential for solid tumor growth and progression. Among the pro-angiogenetic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), also known as vascular permeability factor, is the most important as a mitogen for vascular endothelium. The VEGF family of molecules currently consists of six growth factors, VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGF-E, and placenta growth factor(PlGF). Over-expression of PlGF is associated with angiogenesis under pathological conditions such as ischemia, inflammation, and cancer. Hence, the goal of this study is to identify the correlation of clinicopathlogical factors and the up-regulation of PlGF expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma. We studied the immunohistochemical staining of PlGF, PlGF gene expression and a real time quantitative RT-PCR in 20 specimens of 20 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The results were as follows. 1. In the immunohistochemical study of poorly differentiated and invasive oral squamous cell carcinoma, the high level staining of PlGF was observed. And the correlation between immunohistopathological PlGF expression and histological differentiation of specimens was significant (Pearson correlation analysis, significance [r] >0.6, P < .05). 2. In the PlGF gene RT-PCR analysis, PlGF expression was more in tumor tissue than in adjacent normal tissue. Paired-samples analysis determined the difference of PlGF mRNA expression level between the cancer tissue and the normal tissue (Student's t - test, P < .05) These findings suggest that up-regulation of the PlGF gene may play a role in progression and local metastasis in invasive oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.474-480
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• 2018

Most angiogenesis assays are performed using endothelial cells. However, blood vessels are composed of two cell types: endothelial cells and pericytes. Thus, co-culture of two vascular cells should be employed to evaluate angiogenic properties. Here, we developed an in vitro 3-dimensional angiogenesis assay system using spheroids formed by two human vascular precursors: endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). ECFCs, MSCs, or ECFCs+MSCs were cultured to form spheroids. Sprout formation from each spheroid was observed for 24 h by real-time cell recorder. Sprout number and length were higher in ECFC+MSC spheroids than ECFC-only spheroids. No sprouts were observed in MSC-only spheroids. Sprout formation by ECFC spheroids was increased by treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or combination of VEGF and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). Interestingly, there was no further increase in sprout formation by ECFC+MSC spheroids in response to VEGF or VEGF+FGF-2, suggesting that MSCs stimulate sprout formation by ECFCs. Immuno-fluorescent labeling technique revealed that MSCs surrounded ECFC-mediated sprout structures. We tested vatalanib, VEGF inhibitor, using ECFC and ECFC+MSC spheroids. Vatalanib significantly inhibited sprout formation in both spheroids. Of note, the $IC_{50}$ of vatalanib in ECFC+MSC spheroids at 24 h was $4.0{\pm}0.40{\mu}M$, which are more correlated with the data of previous animal studies when compared with ECFC spheroids ($0.2{\pm}0.03{\mu}M$). These results suggest that ECFC+MSC spheroids generate physiologically relevant sprout structures composed of two types of vascular cells, and will be an effective pre-clinical in vitro assay model to evaluate pro- or anti-angiogenic property.