IL-8 inhibits VEGF-D, VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 protein expression in LECs (western blotting, VEGF-D 40 kDa, VEGF-C 80 kDa, VEGFR-3 146 kDa). The VEGF-D and VEGF-C protein expression levels in the 0 ng/ml group showed a non-statistically significant difference compared with the control group (P=0.817 and P=0.259, respectively). However, the VEGFR-3 protein expression was inhibited by pure SGC7901 cell culture medium (P<0.001). The expression levels of VEGF-D in the 0.2, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0 ng/ml groups were all significantly decreased compared with the 0 ng/ml group (P=0.030, P=0.002, P=0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). A similar downregulated expression of the VEGF-C protein was observed (all P<0.001). Meanwhile, VEGFR-3 expression levels in the 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8 ng/ml groups were significantly decreased compared with the 0 ng/ml group (P<0.001, P=0.002 and P=0.001, respectively). **P<0.01 vs. control group; #P<0.05, ##P<0.01 vs. 0 ng/ml group. L-8, interleukin-8; VEGF-D, vascular endothelial growth factor-D; VEGF-C, vascular endothelial growth factor-C; VEGFR-3, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3; LECs, lymphatic endothelial cells.