Expression and Significance of HIF-1α in epithelial ovarian tumor

[Objective] To investigate the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) and the microvessel density (MVD) in epithelial ovarian tumors and to analyze their relationships and the significance in clinical research. [Methods] Eighty-seven samples of epithelial ovarian tumor tissues were examined for HIF-1αexpression by immunohistochemistry and the CD34 endothelial antigen was used by immunohistochemistry to label the new growth microvesse1. The microvessel density (MVD) of tumor was calculated. [Results] The expression of HIF-1αand MVD in epithelial ovarian cancer and borderline tumour was higher than that in ovarian benign tumour. In epithelial ovarian cancer, the expression of HIF-1α was correlated with clinical stage,but not with histological type, pathologic grade,nor age. But the expression of MVD was correlated with clinical stage and pathologic grade,not with histological type nor age. There was a significant positive correlation between the expression of HIF-1α and MVD. [Conclusion] The overexpression of HIF-1α may play an important role in oncogenesis of epithelial ovarian tumour. Neoangiogenesis of ovarian carcinoma is significantly correlated with HIF-1αexpression.