He Lixia, He Junyong, Zhao Xia
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Physical Examination Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2016 Mar;12(1):e161-6. doi: 10.1111/ajco.12086. Epub 2013 Aug 5.
To investigate the contribution of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-D to tumor progression, tumor lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis in epithelial ovarian cancer.
The expression profiles of VEGF-D in 18 benign, 14 borderline and 87 malignant epithelial ovarian cancers were examined using immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Lymphatic vessels were identified using IHC staining on lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1), which is a lymph-specific receptor for hyaluronan in identifying lymphatic vessels. The potential correlation among VEGF-D, lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and clinico-pathological factors of the epithelial ovarian cancer was also analyzed.
Positive IHC staining of VEGF-D was observed in 17% of benign, 21% of borderline and 80% of malignant epithelial ovarian tumors specimens. In the epithelial ovarian cancer specimens, the LVD was 3.41 ± 2.37 in the VEGF-D negative (17 patients), 5.42 ± 3.49 in the weak (26 patients), 7.22 ± 2.36 in the moderate (27 patients) and 7.35 ± 4.06 in the strong (17 patients) groups, respectively. Additionally, the expression of VEGF-D was positively correlated with LVD (r = 0.415, P < 0.001). The expression level of VEGF-D was significantly higher in lymph node-positive epithelial ovarian cancer than in lymph node-negative patients (P = 0.009, P < 0.05). The expression of VEGF-D was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage and tumor histological differentiation, but not with the patients' age or histology type.
VEGF-D may play an important role in the process of lymphatic metastasis of epithelial ovarian cancer.
探讨血管内皮生长因子D（VEGF-D）在上皮性卵巢癌肿瘤进展、肿瘤淋巴管生成及淋巴转移中的作用。
采用免疫组织化学（IHC）染色检测18例良性、14例交界性和87例恶性上皮性卵巢癌中VEGF-D的表达情况。通过对淋巴管内皮透明质酸受体-1（LYVE-1）进行IHC染色来识别淋巴管，LYVE-1是一种用于识别淋巴管的透明质酸特异性淋巴管受体。同时分析VEGF-D、淋巴管密度（LVD）与上皮性卵巢癌临床病理因素之间的潜在相关性。
在良性上皮性卵巢肿瘤标本中，17%观察到VEGF-D的IHC染色阳性；交界性肿瘤标本中为21%；恶性肿瘤标本中为80%。在上皮性卵巢癌标本中，VEGF-D阴性组（17例患者）的LVD为3.41±2.37，弱阳性组（26例患者）为5.42±3.49，中度阳性组（27例患者）为7.22±2.36，强阳性组（17例患者）为7.35±4.06。此外，VEGF-D的表达与LVD呈正相关（r = 0.415，P < 0.001）。VEGF-D的表达水平在淋巴结阳性的上皮性卵巢癌患者中显著高于淋巴结阴性患者（P = 0.009，P < 0.05）。VEGF-D的表达与淋巴结转移、国际妇产科联盟分期及肿瘤组织学分级显著相关，但与患者年龄或组织学类型无关。
VEGF-D可能在上皮性卵巢癌淋巴转移过程中起重要作用。
