Inhibitory effect of interferon-α-2b on expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in human hepatocellular carcinoma inoculated in nude mice

Table 2 Expression level of COX-2 and VEGF mRNA and protein in transplanted HCC of nude mice after treatment with IFN α-2b (mean ± SD, n = 8)

mRNA				Protein
Groups	Dose (IU/d)	COX-2	VEGF	Groups	Dose (IU/d)	COX-2	VEGF
Control	0	0.59 ± 0.11	0.61 ± 0.15	Control	0	0.75 ± 0.16	0.82 ± 0.18
Group A	10 000	0.44 ± 0.09a	0.52 ± 0.12a	Group A	10 000	0.52 ± 0.09a	0.61 ± 0.13a
Group B	20 000	0.12 ± 0.02ad	0.17 ± 0.03ad	Group B	20 000	0.23 ± 0.04ad	0.31 ± 0.05ad
Group C	40 000	0.26 ± 0.06a	0.31 ± 0.07a	Group C	40 000	0.38 ± 0.07a	0.43 ± 0.08a

^aP < 0.01 vs control group;

^dP < 0.05 vs groups A and C.