Serum tenascin-C as a potential predictive marker of angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
Tenascin (Tn)-C is an extracellular matrix protein that is involved in tissue interactions during fetal development and oncogenesis. However, the role of serum Tn-C in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been clarified.


METHODS
In this study, we determined the serum levels of Tn-C among NSCLC patients who underwent surgery, as well as other factors implicated for angiogenesis, to address the clinical implications in NSCLC.


CONCLUSIONS
The median concentration of serum Tn-C in NSCLC patients was slightly higher than that of normal controls, but this difference was not statistically significant. There was a positive correlation between serum Tn-C levels and microvessel density (MVD), serum osteopontin (OPN) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In contrast, there was no correlation between serum Tn-C levels and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and sialyl lewis-X (SLX) levels. The overall survival of patients with low Tn-C levels (<96 ng/ml) was significantly greater than that of patients with high Tn-C levels (> or =96 ng/ml). Intratumoral Tn-C expression was co-localized with expression of microvessels in the stroma of the cancer cells by immunohistochemical analysis. Moreover, enhanced in vitro migration of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) was induced by recombinant Tn-C. Collectively, Tn-C may play an important role in angiogenesis of patients with NSCLC, and the determination of serum Tn-C may be useful in predicting intratumoral vasculature and patients' prognosis.
Ishiwata
Toshiji
T
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University, School of Medicine, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan.
Takahashi
Kazuhisa
K
Shimanuki
Yuri
Y
Ohashi
Rina
R
Cui
Ri
R
Takahashi
Fumiyuki
F
Shimizu
Kazue
K
Miura
Kayo
K
Fukuchi
Yoshinosuke
Y
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000097:blood; D053495:Osteopontin; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D019063:Tenascin / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C506895:SPP1 protein, human; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D019063:Tenascin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D053495:Osteopontin