Expression and clinical correlation of NGAL and VEGF in endometrial carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the expression of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in endometrial carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The clinical features (FIGO staging, pathological type, differentiation level, myometrial invasion depth and tumor size) and immunostaining analysis of endometrial carcinoma (30 cases), atypical hyperplasia (30 cases) and proliferative endometrial tissues (30 cases) were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) were performed to detect the expression of NGAL and VEGF.

RESULTS

The positive tissue immunostaining and mRNA expression of NGAL and VEGF in endometrial carcinoma were significantly higher than in either atypical hyperplasia or proliferative endometrial tissues (p<0.05). The relative expression level of NGAL and VEGF was positively correlated with worse FIGO staging, higher differentiation level and a greater myometrial invasion depth (p<0.05); but not with patient age, pathological type or tumor size (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The abnormal high expression of NGAL and VEGF observed in the endometrial carcinoma may be an important biomarker for early tumor diagnosis or as a novel target for therapeutic intervention.