SPARC and glioma: However, the effect of SPARC on these cells was to decrease VEGF expression, an observation that agrees with that reported for the melanoma cells.42 Therefore, we conclude that in gliomas, SPARC decreases VEGF secretion and thereby attenuates the VEGFR-VEGFR2 signaling in the U87 glioma cells, which corresponds with the decreased growth previously observed.13