[Expression of p53 and vascular endothelial growth factor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
Experimental study proved that the coexpression of p53 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play an important role in angiogenesis of tumor. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism that p53 participate angiogenesis and the relationship between the expression of p53 and VEGF and clinical pathologic parameters and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).


METHODS
The expressions of p53 and VEGF in operative samples from 76 ESCC patients were detected by immunohistochemistry. The vascular endothelial cells in tumor tissue were labeled by F VIII factor antibody for counting microvessel density (MVD).


RESULTS
The expression rates of p53 and VEGF were 60.5% and 56.5%; total expression rate was 42.1%. The expression rates of p53 and VEGF were strongly associated with distal metastasis and vascular infiltration of ESCC (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Distal metastasis and vascular infiltration usually occurred in the patients whose mutant p53 and VEGF were both positive expression. The MVDs in p53(+) or VEGF(+) (31.7 +/- 11.5; 33.8 +/- 11.7) were both significantly higher than that in p53(-) or VEGF(-) (22.4 +/- 10.6; 21.2 +/- 9.3, P < 0.05). The MVD reached the maximum in the patients whose p53 and VEGF were both positive.


CONCLUSIONS
Mutant p53 expression is closely associated with the angiogenesis and distal metastasis of ESCC; Expression of p53 and VEGF could be used as an important biological indices for evaluating the malignant degree of ESCC. Combined determination of p53 and VEGF expression has important clinical significance.
Liu
De-bin
DB
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Lanzhou Medical College, Lanzhou 730030, P. R. China.
Chen
Ke-neng
KN
Cao
Xiao-zhe
XZ
Wang
Tong
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors