Immunohistochemical study on VEGF expression in endometrial carcinoma--comparison with p53 expression, angiogenesis, and tumor histologic grade.
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)--that activates endothelial cell growth--has been considered to induce angiogenesis, which is indispensable to tumor-genesis and progression. In this study, an immunohistochemical analysis was carried out to clarify the correlation of VEGF expression with angiogenesis, p53 expression--of which the wild-type is considered to suppress VEGF expression--and histologic grade in endometrial carcinoma.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical staining for detecting VEGF protein, factor VIII-related antigen of endothelial cells, and p53 protein was performed by the labeled streptavidin-biotin method on the formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumor tissue of 104 patients with endometrial (endometrioid) carcinoma, including 69 with well-differentiated, 25 with moderately differentiated, and ten with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma.


RESULTS
The labeling index of p53 expression was 19.9+/-28.8% in the high VEGF group, whereas in the low VEGF group it was 12.2+/-17.0%, showing that VEGF expression was significantly correlated with p53 expression (P<0.05). VEGF expression, however, was not correlated with either the number of microvessels in the tumor area or tumor histologic grade.


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF expression was not a single specific indicator of angiogenesis in endometrial carcinoma, whereas it was significantly correlated with p53 expression.
Fujisawa
T
T
Department of Clinical Cytology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. takeshi@cc.ahs.kitasato-u.ac.jp
Watanabe
J
J
Akaboshi
M
M
Ohno
E
E
Kuramoto
H
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011379:Prognosis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D005169:Factor VIII