Expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 associated with expression of VEGF in primary cervical cancer and at metastatic lymph nodes.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the relationship between expression of COX-1, COX-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and their association with clinicopathological features in primary tumor and metastatic lymph node specimens from cervical cancer patients. The relationship between COX-2 expression and human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity was also examined.


METHODS
The following samples were analyzed: 97 paraffin-embedded specimens from patients with cervical cancer (Ib-IIb), including 49 primary cervical cancer specimens without lymph node metastasis and 24 primary specimens with lymph node metastasis and their metastatic lymph nodes. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed with antibodies to COX-1, COX-2, and VEGF. HPV viratype was identified by PCR and HPVDNAChip.


RESULTS
VEGF expression was strongly correlated with expression of COX-1 (P = 0.03) and not COX-2 (P = 0.12) in primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes. COX-2 expression correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001), but not with any other clinicopathological features. The parametrial invasion showed borderline significance with COX-2 expression (P = 0.058). COX-1 or VEGF expression did not correlate with any clinicopathological features. In addition, COX-2 expression was not associated with HPV positivity.COX-1 expression is associated with VEGF expression in primary tumor tissue and at sites of metastasis to lymph nodes.


CONCLUSIONS
COX-2 expression is associated with lymph node metastasis and possibly parametrial invasion, but expression of COX-1 and VEGF is not associated with clinicopathological features. COX-2 expression is not associated with HPV positivity.
Kim
Moon-Hong
MH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongun-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, South Korea.
Seo
Sang-Soo
SS
Song
Yong-Sang
YS
Kang
Dae-Hee
DH
Park
In-Ae
IA
Kang
Soon-Beom
SB
Lee
Hyo-Pyo
HP
D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008222:Lymphokines; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496511:PTGS1 protein, human; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases