title: Expression of a flt-4 (VEGFR3) splicing variant in primary human prostate tumors. VEGF D and flt-4t(Delta773-1081) overexpression is diagnostic for sentinel lymph node metastasis.
abstract: Utilizing a cDNA expression library established from human prostate PC-3ML tumor cells, we have cloned a truncated flt-4 gene, termed flt-4t(Delta773-1081). We have then utilized RNase protection and ELISA to measure the relative levels of VEGF B, C, D and flt-1, KDR, flt-4 and flt-4t(Delta773-1081) expression in freshly isolated benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH tissue (n=21), primary prostate cancers (n=82) and matching sentinel lymph node metastases from stage T2a-T2b/T3 tumors (n=52). Comparisons of the primary tumors with BPH showed that there was a significant upregulation of VEGF-B (P=0.003), VEGF D (P=0.005), flt-1 (P=0.003), KDR (P=0.002), flt-4 (P=0.007), and flt-4t(Delta773-1081) (P=0.001), but not VEGF-C (P=0.543). There was no correlation between VEGF-B and its receptor flt-1 (P=0.545), or VEGF-C and flt-4 (P=0.16) and KDR (P=0.23) receptor expression in tumor specimens. Conversely, there was no significant relationship between VEGF-D and the flt-4t(Delta773-1081) receptor (P=0.516) expression. Statistical analysis further showed that there was no significant correlation between VEGF-B, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, flt-1, KDR, flt-4 and flt-4t(Delta773-1081) with patient age (P>0.10), stage (P>0.10), PSA value (P>0.15) or tumor size (P>0.15). Likewise, there was no significant correlation between VEGF-B, VEGF-C, flt-1, KDR, and flt-4 with Gleason score (P>0.15). In comparison, flt-4t(Delta773-1081) levels clearly increased significantly in Gleason score 7 and Gleason score 8-10 tumors as well as in stage T2a-T2b/T3 tumors. The studies were extended to compare gene expression profiles in T2a-T2b and T3 tumors with (n=26) and without (n=26) matching sentinel lymph node metastases. The data showed that VEGF D and flt-4t(Delta773-1081) expression levels were significantly elevated in primary tumors with sentinel lymph node involvement compared to those lacking lymph node involvement (P>0.0022 and 0.006, respectively). These data suggest that targeting VEGF D and flt-4t(Delta773-1081) receptors may be particularly effective in the prevention of lymph node metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Drexel-University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19085, USA. mark.stearns@drexel.edu
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Stearns
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Youji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Greq
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Fernando U
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D042561:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B / Q000235:genetics; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000235:genetics; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000235:genetics; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000235:genetics; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; C467485:VEGFB protein, human; C467486:VEGFC protein, human; D042561:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3