Effects of VEGF/VEGFR/K-ras signaling pathways on miRNA21 levels in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor (VEGFR)/ K-ras signaling pathways on miRNA21 levels in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues in rats. Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control, model, and VEGF blocking agent groups (N = 6/group). The expression of VEGF mRNA, K-ras protein, and miRNA21 increased significantly (P 0.05). Finally, the expression of the miRNA21