The relation between bone marrow angiogenesis and the proliferation index Ki-67 in multiple myeloma.
OBJECTIVE
Angiogenesis correlates with disease progression in various haematological malignancies. This study investigated the association between microvascular density (MVD) and the Ki-67 proliferation index (Ki-67 PI), bone marrow infiltration, and C reactive protein (CRP) in patients with multiple myeloma.


METHODS
Bone marrow MVD was examined in 44 biopsies at diagnosis and 15 in plateau phase by immunostaining the endothelial cells with a monoclonal antibody to CD34. The Ki-67 PI was evaluated by a double immunostaining technique using the monoclonal antibodies MIB-1 and CD38.


RESULTS
MVD, Ki-67 PI, bone marrow infiltration, and CRP were significantly higher in pretreatment patients than in controls and decreased in patients achieving plateau phase. MVD significantly correlated with Ki-67 PI and infiltration, and Ki-67 correlated with infiltration.


CONCLUSIONS
In multiple myeloma, apart from being a marker of proliferative activity, Ki-67 is also associated with bone marrow angiogenesis and tumour burden.
Department of Haematology, University Hospital of Heraklion, PO Box 1352, 71110, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. freda@med.uoc.gr
M G
MG
Alexandrakis
F H
FH
Passam
C
C
Dambaki
C A
CA
Pappa
E N
EN
Stathopoulos
D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase / Q000032:analysis; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1