Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Promotes Tumor Growth by Inducing Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α has been proved as an adjuvant therapy for tumor by FDA. However, the effect of chronic TNF-α expression for tumor is still controversial. In this study, we investigated the effect of low-dose TNF-α on tumor growth. We confirmed that low-dose TNF-α promoted angiogenesis of tumor in vivo, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, the transcription factor of VEGF, were both upregulated. Our results suggested that low-dose TNF-α was a powerful activator of angiogenesis in tumor and HIF-1α-VEGF pathway seemed to be the most important molecular mechanism.

Keywords: :

• TNF-α
• Tumor
• Angiogenesis
• VEGF

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This project was supported by the special funds for National key Sci-Tech Sepcial Project of China (Grant No: 2008ZX10002-019, 2008ZX10002-025). National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 30870974, 30801347, 30700981, 30901722, 81000970, 81030041). Shanghai Science and Technology Committee, China (Grant No: 08XD14003, 10411963100, 10ZR1439900, 10ZR1439600). Key Basic Research Project of China (Grant No: 2010CB945600, 2011CB966200). Science Fund for Creative Research Groups, NSFC, China, (Grant No: 30921006) and Stem Cell and Medicine Postgraduate Innovation Experiment Center, The Second Military Medical University, China (Grant No: SCOP101913, SCOP102004, SCOP101812).