Neuropilin-2 expression affects the increased vascularization and is a prognostic factor in osteosarcoma.
Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor characterized by hypervascularity. Neuropilins (NRPs), which is expressed by human tumor cells, is known to be a potent receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We examined NRPs mRNA expression in 30 osteosarcomas. The osteosarcomas with NRP2 expression (n=24) showed a significantly increased vascularity (P<0.0014, Mann-Whitney U test). Osteosarcomas with NRP2 showed significantly poorer prognosis than those without NRP2 (P=0.016, Wilcoxon's test). These results suggest that NRP acts as a VEGF-amplifier in a paracrine or autocrine manner in the osteosarcoma. NRP2 expression cooperatively promotes angiogenesis and growth in osteosarcomas with VEGF expression.
Handa
A
A
Department of Pathology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Bohseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan.
Tokunaga
T
T
Tsuchida
T
T
Lee
Y H
YH
Kijima
H
H
Yamazaki
H
H
Ueyama
Y
Y
Fukuda
H
H
Nakamura
M
M
D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D039942:Neuropilin-1; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D015996:Survival Rate; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D039942:Neuropilin-1; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor