Abdul-Aziz Manar A, Amin Amina K, El-Rouby Dalia H, Shaker Olfat G
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Faculty of Oral & Dental Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Int J Dent. 2017;2017:7285656. doi: 10.1155/2017/7285656. Epub 2017 Jun 7.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral malignancy that preferentially spreads to the cervical lymph node which, when involved, complicates the anticancer therapy and threatens the patient life. It was suggested that lymph node metastasis may be facilitated by lymphangiogenesis. VEGF-C is one of the most important lymphangiogenic inducers that promotes the lymphatic vessels growth and supports the survival of adult lymphatic endothelial cells.
Lymphatic vessels density (LVD) and LV morphometry were digitally evaluated using D2-40. The expression of VEGF-C was also assessed using immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction in 6 normal oral mucosa cases and 72 cases of OSCC. The correlation between LVD and LV morphometry, VEGF-C, and lymph node metastasis was statistically assessed.
A positive cytoplasmic expression of VEGF-C was detected in both epithelial and connective tissue cells in 97% of OSCC, while all normal tissues reacted negatively. A greater expression of VEGF-C was associated with larger and more dilated LV and lymph node metastasis but not with LVD.
VEGF-C is actively involved in the invasion and metastasis of OSCC via inducing morphological changes in LV. VEGF-C may be a promising target for anticancer therapy.
口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）是最常见的口腔恶性肿瘤，易发生颈部淋巴结转移，一旦出现淋巴结转移，抗癌治疗会变得复杂，并威胁患者生命。有研究表明，淋巴管生成可能促进淋巴结转移。血管内皮生长因子C（VEGF-C）是最重要的淋巴管生成诱导因子之一，可促进淋巴管生长并维持成年淋巴管内皮细胞的存活。
使用D2-40对淋巴管密度（LVD）和淋巴管形态进行数字化评估。采用免疫组织化学和实时聚合酶链反应对6例正常口腔黏膜病例和72例OSCC病例的VEGF-C表达进行评估。对LVD与淋巴管形态、VEGF-C及淋巴结转移之间的相关性进行统计学分析。
97%的OSCC病例的上皮细胞和结缔组织细胞中均检测到VEGF-C的阳性细胞质表达，而所有正常组织均呈阴性反应。VEGF-C表达增加与更大、更扩张的淋巴管及淋巴结转移相关，但与LVD无关。
VEGF-C通过诱导淋巴管形态改变，积极参与OSCC的侵袭和转移。VEGF-C可能是抗癌治疗的一个有前景的靶点。
