[Expression of LYVE-1 and Prox-1 in non-small cell lung cancer and the relationship with lymph node metastasis].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1), the homeobox gene (Prox-1), in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the relationship with microlymphatic vessel density, lymph node metastasis and their clinic pathological value.

METHODS

Forty specimens of the NSCLC as experimental group and eleven pulmonary benign diseases as control group were studied. The expressions of LYVE-1, Prox-1 and CD31 protein in specimens of NSCLC and normal pulmonary tissue were studied with immunohistochemical (IHC) technique. Microlymphatic vessel density (MLVD) and microvessel density (MVD) were counted. Meanwhile, all specimens were also examined by conventional pathological method. Clinicopathological data of each patient were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

(1) Among 40 cases of the center of NSCLC cancerous tissues, the MLVDs marked by LYVE-1 and Prox-1 were 4.22 +/- 1.25 and 1. 99 +/- 1.49 respectively, which were significantly lower than those of the pulmonary benign diseases tissues (P = 0.00). (2) The MLVDs marked by LYVE-1 and Prox-1 in NSCLC cancerous invasive edge were 10.89 +/- 2.06 and 6.63 +/- 1.99 respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the center of cancerous tissues and those of the pulmonary benign diseases tissues (P = 0.000). (3) The MLVDs marked by LYVE-1 and Prox-1 in cancerous invasive edge were not correlated with age, gender, site and dimension of lesion, types of histological and degree of differentiation, but correlated significantly with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.000) and PTNM stage (P = 0.000). Meanwhile, along with lymph node metastasis and increasing of PTNM stage, the expressions of LYVE-1 and Prox-1 protein and MLVDs have significantly increased, but the microvessel density marked by CD31 in cancerous invasive edge was not correlated significantly with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.450) and PTNM stage (P = 0.377). (4) Significant correlation between LYVE-1 and Prox-1 (r = 0.529, P = 0.000) expression was observed in NSCLC; moreover, no correlations between LYVE-1 and CD31, Prox-1 and CD31 (r = 0.034, P = 0.837; r = -0.075, P = 0.647) were The functional microlymphatic vessels correlated with lymphatic metastasis are mainly observed.

CONCLUSION

located in the cancerous invasive edge rather than the center of cancerous tissues. LYVE-1 and Prox-1 might be acted as molecular phenotypes of lymphangioghesis in NSCLC and as important markers for evaluating lymphatic metastasis and prognosis in patients with NSCLC.