Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumor and leading cause of death worldwide. Tumor genes, signals from tumor stroma, recruited inflammatory cells and hypoxia has been reported to switch on angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor is a pleiotropic factor that regulates cell proliferation, vascular permeability and plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis through its different angiogenic receptors. Multifunctional regulatory cytokine transforming growth factor-β also controls cell proliferation, differentiation, extracellular matrix production and survival/or apoptosis of many types cells. By raising level of epithelialmesenchymal transition, transforming growth factor-β creates a favourable microenvironment for tumor cell growth. Depending upon the stage of cancer progression it can either initiate tumor development, progression and metastasis or can act as a tumor suppressor. In the present review, an attempt has been made to comprehensively define the role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and transforming growth factor-β in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Key words: Hepatocellular carcinoma; VEGF; TGF-β; angiogenesis; cancer
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