Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in oral tissues: possible relevance to angiogenesis, tumour progression and field cancerisation.
The aim of this study was to assess whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in oral tissues is associated with angiogenesis, disease progression or field cancerisation. Vascularity and VEGF immunoreactivity were quantified in 68 archival specimens including normal oral mucosa (NOM), dysplasia (DYS) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Vascularity increased significantly with disease progression; it was also higher in NOM adjacent to SCC than in NOM from healthy tissue, suggesting an association with field cancerisation. VEGF expression in epithelial cells was evaluated using two antibodies and three indices. VEGF indices and vascularity were not directly correlated. The expression of VEGF was similar in all DYS and NOM specimens, whether or not adjacent to a concurrent lesion. A comparison of SCC with NOM or DYS led to opposite results, depending on the VEGF antibody and index used. We conclude that VEGF expression in the oral mucosa may play a physiological role, but does not appear to be associated with angiogenesis, field cancerisation or transition to dysplasia. Further studies concerned with tumour development require examining specific VEGF isoforms and standardisation of the methodology.
Carlile
J
J
Oral Diseases Group, Dental School, University of Dundee, Scotland.
Harada
K
K
Baillie
R
R
Macluskey
M
M
Chisholm
D M
DM
Ogden
G R
GR
Schor
S L
SL
Schor
A M
AM
D000906:Antibodies; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D018450:Disease Progression; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis*; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D000906:Antibodies; D004396:Coloring Agents; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors