Objective    To investigate the in vitro expressions of chamotatic factor CXCL12 [also known as stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1)]

the receptor of the factor

Cys-X-Cys receptor 4 (CXCR4) and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) in human laryngeal carcinoma cell line Hep-2 and their roles in the homing of laryngeal carcinoma.      Methods    The expressions of CXCR4 mRNA and protein in Hep-2 cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting

the expression of VEGF-C also was evaluated before and after incubated with SDF-1 (1

10

100 ng/ml) or the antagonist of CXCR4 AMD3100. Methythiazolyltetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to analyze the effect of different concentrations of SDF-1 on the proliferation of Hep-2 cells. Transwell invasion chamber and matrigel were used to evaluate the effect of various concentrations of SDF-1 and AMD3100 on the migration and invasion of Hep-2 cells.     Results    1)The CXCR4 and VEGF-C were both overexpressed at mRNA and protein level in Hep-2 cells

and the expression of VEGF-C in Hep-2 cells was upregulated with a concentration-dependent model

which was inhibited by CXCR4 antagonist (P0.05). 2）SDF-1(100 ng/ml) significantly enhanced the proliferation of Hep-2 cells compared with the control and 10 ng/ml SDF-1 groups (24 h: 0.585±0.051 vs 0.425±0.045 and 0.428±0.039

P0.05; 48 h: 0.631±0.062 vs 0.497±0.067  and 0.532±0.039

P0.01). This enhancing effect of SDF-1 was significantly inhibited by 1 μg/ml AMD3100. 3)The levels of migration and invasion of the Hep-2 cells treated with 100 ng/ml SDF-1 were significantly higher than those in the control and 10 ng/ml SDF-1 (migration: 286.7±24.7 vs 48.0±7.2 and 147.7±37.0; invasion: 40.5±4.5 vs 4.0±1.0 and 17.7±2.0

P0.05)

and was strongly inhibited by 1 μg/ml AMD3100.      Conclusion    SDF-1/CXCR4 can in coordination with VEGF-C promote homing of laryngeal carcinoma cell line Hep-2

and may be a new pathway to prevent laryngeal carcinoma lymph node metastasis. 