Cytokines IL-2 and IL-6 Regulate Expression of VEGF-D in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Objective To explore the function of cytokines interleukin-2(IL-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) on regulating the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor D(VEGF-D) in cultured human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Methods We used reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) methods to anaylyze VEGF-D mRNA level in two cultured human pancreatic cancer cell lines(SW1990 and BXPC-3) under the stimulation with IL-2 or IL-6. Results RT-PCR analysis revealed the expression of VEGF-D gene was decreased in SW1990 cell or BXPC-3 cell stimulated by IL-2. IL-6 up-regulated VEGF-D mRNA of SW1990 cell,the in consistency-dependent, but there was no effect on VEGF-D mRNA expression of BXPC-3 cell line. Conclusion IL-2 inhibits lymph node metastasis of pancreatic cancer by inhibiting expression of VEGF-D; IL-6 increases expression of VEGF-D mRNA in several pancreatic cancer cell, but the effects on biological characteristic of pancreatic cancer cell still need to be continuing studied.