Department of General Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong Province, China.
World J Surg. 2010 May;34(5):1039-45. doi: 10.1007/s00268-010-0417-4.
Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are important processes in the progression of malignant tumors. Previous studies have shown that nerve growth factor-beta (NGF-beta) can promote the initiation and progression of many tumors. In addition, vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) has become recognized as the most important lymphangiogenic factor. In the present study, the expression of NGF-beta in human hilar cholangiocarcinoma and its relationship with lymphangiogenesis, lymph node metastasis, nerve infiltration, and VEGF-C expression was investigated.
Nerve growth factor-beta and VEGF-C expression were investigated by immunohistochemistry in samples from 28 cases of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in the tumor tissue that indicated lymphangiogenesis were calculated by immunostaining with the lymphendothelial-specific antibody D2-40. The relationship between NGF-beta expression and VEGF-C expression, lymphangiogenesis, lymph node metastasis, and nerve infiltration was evaluated.
The overexpression of NGF-beta and VEGF-C occurred in 57.1% (16/28) and 46.4% (13/28) of tumor samples, respectively. Nerve growth factor-beta overexpression was highly correlated with VEGF-C overexpression (P = 0.005), LVD (P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.021), nerve infiltration (P = 0.019), and tumor stage (P = 0.040). Furthermore, VEGF-C overexpression was highly correlated with LVD (P < 0.001) and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001). However, there was no statistic significance in the relation between NGF-beta expression and sex (P = 0.185), age (P = 0.387), maximal tumor size (P = 0.736), Bismuth classification (P = 0.627) as well as histological grade (P = 0.203).
Nerve growth factor-beta might promote lymph node metastasis and nerve infiltration in human hilar cholangiocarcinoma.
血管生成和淋巴管生成是恶性肿瘤进展的重要过程。先前的研究表明，神经生长因子-β（NGF-β）可以促进许多肿瘤的发生和发展。此外，血管内皮生长因子-C（VEGF-C）已被认为是最重要的淋巴管生成因子。本研究探讨了 NGF-β在人肝门部胆管癌中的表达及其与淋巴管生成、淋巴结转移、神经浸润和 VEGF-C 表达的关系。
采用免疫组化法检测 28 例肝门部胆管癌组织中 NGF-β和 VEGF-C 的表达。用淋巴管内皮特异性抗体 D2-40 免疫染色计算肿瘤组织中的淋巴管密度（LVD）以表示淋巴管生成。评估 NGF-β表达与 VEGF-C 表达、淋巴管生成、淋巴结转移和神经浸润之间的关系。
NGF-β和 VEGF-C 的过表达分别发生在 57.1%（16/28）和 46.4%（13/28）的肿瘤标本中。NGF-β 过表达与 VEGF-C 过表达（P=0.005）、LVD（P<0.001）、淋巴结转移（P=0.021）、神经浸润（P=0.019）和肿瘤分期（P=0.040）高度相关。此外，VEGF-C 过表达与 LVD（P<0.001）和淋巴结转移（P<0.001）高度相关。然而，NGF-β 表达与性别（P=0.185）、年龄（P=0.387）、最大肿瘤直径（P=0.736）、Bismuth 分类（P=0.627）以及组织学分级（P=0.203）之间无统计学意义。
NGF-β可能促进人肝门部胆管癌的淋巴结转移和神经浸润。
