Tumor angiogenesis and its possible role in intravasation of colorectal epithelial cells.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether an increase in tumor angiogenesis facilitates intravasation of colorectal epithelial cells, we compared intratumoral microvessel counts with the presence of circulating colorectal epithelial cells in the portal venous blood from patients with colorectal carcinomas.


METHODS
Circulating colorectal epithelial cells were detected by a reverse transcription-PCR assay to amplify guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) transcripts. The extent of tumor vascularization was quantitatively assessed by immunohistochemical staining with anti-CD31 antibody.


RESULTS
Colorectal epithelial cells (as measured by GCC mRNA expression) were detected in the portal venous blood in 30 of 58 patients (52%). The mean (+/- SD) microvessel count in the tumors from patients with expression of GCC mRNA in their portal venous blood was 82.74 +/- 24.97. The corresponding values in the tumors from patients without expression of GCC mRNA in portal venous blood was 65.96 +/- 19. For each 10-microvessel increase per x200 field, the risk of colorectal epithelial cell presence in the portal venous blood increased 1.52-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.19-2.12; P = 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
High intratumoral vessel count was noted to be a valuable factor for predicting the presence of colorectal epithelial cells in the portal venous blood.
Tien
Y W
YW
Departments of Surgery, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10002, Taiwan.
Chang
K J
KJ
Jeng
Y M
YM
Lee
P H
PH
Wu
M S
MS
Lin
J T
JT
Hsu
S M
SM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D000074261:Receptors, Enterotoxin; D050705:Receptors, Guanylate Cyclase-Coupled; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D000074261:Receptors, Enterotoxin; D050705:Receptors, Guanylate Cyclase-Coupled