Inoue K, Ozeki Y, Suganuma T, Sugiura Y, Tanaka S
National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
Cancer. 1997 Jan 15;79(2):206-13. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19970115)79:2<206::aid-cncr2>3.0.co;2-i.
Angiogenesis is essential for solid tumor growth and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a recently identified growth factor with significant angiogenic properties, may be a major tumor angiogenesis regulator in vivo. Conversely, there have been few studies of the association between angiogenic factor expression and angiogenesis in esophageal carcinoma. The authors examined VEGF expression and microvessel density in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas to clarify the association of VEGF expression with the clinicopathologic features of the disease.
Surgical specimens from 75 primary esophageal squamous cell carcinomas were examined for VEGF expression and microvessel density by immunocytochemical staining. Original anti-VEGF polyclonal antibody was used to determine VEGF expression, and antifactor VIII antibody was used to determine microvessel density. The isoforms of VEGF mRNA were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.
Thirty-five (46.7%) of the 75 esophageal carcinomas were positive for VEGF protein. There was a close correlation between microvessel density and VEGF positivity (P = 0.0002). High VEGF levels were significantly associated with well differentiated tumors, advanced stage (depth of invasion and blood vessel invasion), high incidence of distant metastases after surgery, and poorer prognosis.
The results of this study suggest that VEGF expression is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis by stimulating angiogenesis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
血管生成对于实体瘤的生长和转移至关重要。血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）是一种最近发现的具有显著血管生成特性的生长因子，可能是体内主要的肿瘤血管生成调节因子。相反，关于食管癌中血管生成因子表达与血管生成之间关系的研究较少。作者检测了食管鳞状细胞癌中VEGF的表达和微血管密度，以阐明VEGF表达与该疾病临床病理特征之间的关系。
对75例原发性食管鳞状细胞癌手术标本进行免疫细胞化学染色，检测VEGF表达和微血管密度。使用原始抗VEGF多克隆抗体测定VEGF表达，使用抗因子VIII抗体测定微血管密度。通过逆转录聚合酶链反应测定VEGF mRNA的异构体。
75例食管癌中35例（46.7%）VEGF蛋白呈阳性。微血管密度与VEGF阳性之间存在密切相关性（P = 0.0002）。高VEGF水平与高分化肿瘤、晚期（浸润深度和血管浸润）、手术后远处转移的高发生率以及较差的预后显著相关。
本研究结果表明，VEGF表达通过刺激食管鳞状细胞癌中的血管生成与肿瘤进展和不良预后相关。
