Garzetti G G, Ciavattini A, Lucarini G, Pugnaloni A, De Nictolis M, Amati S, Romanini C, Biagini G
Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, G. Salesi Hospital, University of Ancona, Italy.
Cancer. 1999 May 15;85(10):2219-25. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19990515)85:10<2219::aid-cncr17>3.0.co;2-s.
The aim of the current study was to investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by neoplastic cells in patients with serous ovarian tumors. The correlation between neoangiogenesis and 72-kilodalton metalloproteinase (MMP2) immunostaining also was evaluated.
Fifty-eight patients with serous ovarian tumors who were treated at the Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Ancona University (Ancona, Italy) were used as the study population; 10 women had serous cystoadenoma, 16 women had a serous borderline tumor, and 32 women had invasive cystoadenocarcinoma. Expression of VEGF and MMP2 was evaluated immunohistochemically by polyclonal antibody anti-VEGF (dilution, 1:100) and affinity purified, rabbit anti-MMP2, formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue. Positive staining was expressed as a percentage of positive cells per 10(3) counted neoplastic cells.
Compared with cystoadenomas and borderline tumors, the tessutal VEGF immunostaining was significantly higher in cystoadenocarcinomas, with the highest values detected in architectural International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Grade 3 neoplasms (P2 < 0.001). A direct relation was observed between VEGF and MMP2 immunostaining (correlation coefficient, 0.44; P2 = 0.013). A relation was found between VEGF expression and disease free survival as evaluated by Cox hazards analysis (P2 = 0.03).
Neoangiogenesis detected by VEGF immunostaining appears to be a promising indicator of aggressiveness in serous ovarian tumors. In cystoadenocarcinomas, VEGF expression appears to be related to MMP2 index.
本研究旨在调查浆液性卵巢肿瘤患者肿瘤细胞中血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）的表达情况。同时评估新生血管形成与72千道尔顿金属蛋白酶（MMP2）免疫染色之间的相关性。
选取在意大利安科纳大学妇产科研究所接受治疗的58例浆液性卵巢肿瘤患者作为研究对象；其中10例为浆液性囊腺瘤，16例为浆液性交界性肿瘤，32例为浸润性囊腺癌。采用抗VEGF多克隆抗体（稀释度为1:100）和亲和纯化的兔抗MMP2对福尔马林固定、石蜡包埋组织进行免疫组织化学检测，评估VEGF和MMP2的表达。阳性染色以每10³个计数肿瘤细胞中阳性细胞的百分比表示。
与囊腺瘤和交界性肿瘤相比，囊腺癌中组织VEGF免疫染色显著更高，在国际妇产科联盟3级肿瘤中检测到的值最高（P2<0.001）。观察到VEGF和MMP2免疫染色之间存在直接关系（相关系数为0.44；P2 = 0.013）。通过Cox风险分析评估发现VEGF表达与无病生存期之间存在关系（P2 = 0.03）。
通过VEGF免疫染色检测到的新生血管形成似乎是浆液性卵巢肿瘤侵袭性的一个有前景的指标。在囊腺癌中，VEGF表达似乎与MMP2指数相关。
