Quantitative analysis of lymphangiogenic markers for predicting metastasis of human gastric carcinoma to lymph nodes.
The spread of tumor cells to regional lymph nodes is an early event of gastric cancer metastasis. In our study, we assessed the expression of lymphangiogenic factors and lymphatic endothelial markers in gastric carcinoma tissues and compared expression levels with the status of lymph node metastasis. We also examined the correlation between lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in primary tumors and lymph node metastasis. Paired biopsy samples (tumor and corresponding normal mucosa) of gastric tissue were obtained from 39 patients with gastric carcinoma. The expression of VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGFR-3 and podoplanin mRNAs was assessed by real-time quantitative PCR. The expression of VEGF-C (but not of VEGF-D) was significantly greater in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without metastasis. The expression of lymphatic endothelial markers VEGFR-3 and podoplanin was also significantly greater in the node-positive group. LVD, as assessed by immunohistochemistry for podoplanin, was correlated with lymph node metastasis. These results indicate that quantitative analysis of lymphangiogenic markers in gastric biopsy specimens may be useful in predicting metastasis of gastric cancer to regional lymph nodes.
Kitadai
Yasuhiko
Y
Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan. kitadai@hiroshima-u.ac.jp <kitadai@hiroshima-u.ac.jp>
Kodama
Michiyo
M
Cho
Songde
S
Kuroda
Tsuyoshi
T
Ochiumi
Takehiko
T
Kimura
Shigeru
S
Tanaka
Shinji
S
Matsumura
Shunji
S
Yasui
Wataru
W
Chayama
Kazuaki
K
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098853:Podoplanin
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3; C117468:PDPN protein, human; D000098853:Podoplanin