Feng Hong-Chao, Song Yu-Feng, Wen Yu-Ming
Department of Oral and Maxillary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guiyang Medical College, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550004, PR China.
Ai Zheng. 2004 Mar;23(3):278-81.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Previous study shows that both vascular endothelial growth-C (VEGF-C) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are related to lymphatic metastasis. This study aimed to explore the correlation between the expression of VEGF-C in TAMs and lymphatic metastasis in human oral squamous-cell carcinoma (OSCC).
After immunohistochemical staining, light microscope was used for counting macrophages and automated image analysis quantification was used to determine VEGF-C expression,which was reflected by positive index (PI). In addition,the double staining was also used to determine VEGF-C expression in TAMs.
VEGF-C expression was higher in lymphatic metastasis group (PI=12.169+/-2.778) than in no-metastasis group (PI=8.498+/-2.674, P< 0.05). TAMs counts was related to VEGF-C expression in OSCC (r=0.370, P< 0.05). The result of double staining indicated that macrophage with positive VEGF-C expression accounted for about 22.8% of the total.
Not only tumor cells but also TAMs secrete the VEGF-C in OSCC, and TAMs may play a major role in peritumoral lymphatic neoangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis.
既往研究表明，血管内皮生长因子C（VEGF-C）和肿瘤相关巨噬细胞（TAMs）均与淋巴转移有关。本研究旨在探讨口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）中TAMs内VEGF-C的表达与淋巴转移之间的相关性。
免疫组化染色后，用光学显微镜计数巨噬细胞，并采用自动图像分析定量法测定VEGF-C的表达，以阳性指数（PI）表示。此外，还采用双重染色法测定TAMs内VEGF-C的表达。
淋巴转移组的VEGF-C表达（PI=12.169±2.778）高于无转移组（PI=8.498±2.674，P<0.05）。OSCC中TAMs计数与VEGF-C表达相关（r=0.370，P<0.05）。双重染色结果显示，VEGF-C表达阳性的巨噬细胞约占总数的22.8%。
在OSCC中，不仅肿瘤细胞分泌VEGF-C，TAMs也分泌VEGF-C，且TAMs可能在肿瘤周围淋巴管新生和淋巴转移中起主要作用。
