Ets-1 expression in vascular endothelial cells as an angiogenic and prognostic factor in colorectal carcinoma.
We investigated Ets-1 expression and its influence on angiogenesis and survival using immunohistochemistry of surgical specimens from 95 patients of colorectal cancer. The expression rate of Ets-1 was 48.4% of all cases in cancer cells, 65.3% in endothelial cells, and 28.4% in stromal cells. The microvessel density in patients with vascular Ets-1 expression was significantly higher than that in patients without the expression. A significant positive correlation was discovered between the Ets-1 vascular expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, or pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (dThdPase) activity in the tumor. The positivity of vascular Ets-1 expression was higher in node-positive patients and in M1 patients. The survival rate was significantly lower in those cases positive for vascular Ets-1. Angiogenic factors such as VEGF might be involved in tumor angiogenesis through the Ets-1 vascular expression. The Ets-1 vascular expression may be a prognostic factor for colorectal cancer.
Department of Surgery, Kurume University Faculty of Medicine, Kurume City, Fukuoka, Japan.
Koji
K
Tokuhara
Yutaka
Y
Ogata
Motonori
M
Nakagawa
Kazuo
K
Shirouzu
D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D010430:Pentosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D057845:Pyrimidine Phosphorylases; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism
C494041:ETS1 protein, human; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D010430:Pentosyltransferases; D057845:Pyrimidine Phosphorylases