title: Expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2/Flk-1 in breast carcinomas: correlation with proliferation.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor Flk-1/KDR play an important role in vascular permeability and tumor angiogenesis. Prompted by the hypothesis that VEGF/Flk-1 system may have regulatory roles in breast carcinogenesis, we investigated the expression of Flk-1 in 141 invasive breast carcinomas in correlation with clinical and immunohistochemical prognostic parameters, including proliferation indices like Ki-67 and Topoisomerase IIalpha (Topo-IIalpha). The immunohistochemical avidin-biotin-peroxidase method was performed on paraffin sections for the detection of Flk-1, p53, Bcl-2, c-erbB-2, Ki-67, Topo-IIalpha, ER, and PR. Flk-1 was detected in 91 of 141 (64.5%) of invasive breast carcinomas showing a widespread cytoplasmic expression in most of the neoplastic cells. Flk-1 expression was correlated with the menopausal status (P = 0.051) of the patient and the nuclear grade of the invasive breast carcinoma (P = 0.003), but demonstrated no correlation with histologic grade, stage, and patient survival. It is interesting that Flk-1 expression demonstrated a significant correlation with 2 well-established proliferation indices, Ki-67 (P = 0.037) and topo-IIalpha (P = 0.009), whereas there was no correlation with the expression of ER, PR, p53, Bcl-2, and c-erbB-2. Moreover, Flk-1 expression showed an inverse correlation with TIMP-1 mRNA localization in intratumoral stromal cells (P = 0.013). In conclusion, the significant correlation of Flk-1 expression in invasive breast carcinomas with proliferation indices like Ki-67 and topo-IIalpha suggests that VEGF may exert a growth factor activity on mammary cancer cells through its receptor Flk-1. On the other hand, the inverse correlation of Flk-1 with TIMP-1 mRNA in intratumoral stromal cells supports the notion that TIMP-1 may have an inhibitory role on angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nakopoulou
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stefanaki
authors.forename: Effie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panayotopoulou
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giannopoulou
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Athanassiadou
authors.forename: Hariklia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gakiopoulou-Givalou
authors.forename: Androniki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Louvrou
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D002455:Cell Division; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008593:Menopause; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015996:Survival Rate; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II