Myofibroblasts correlate with lymphatic microvessel density and lymph node metastasis in early-stage invasive colorectal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies have shown that the interactions between tumor cells and stromal cells are important in tumor development. A possible correlation between tumor-activated myofibroblasts, the main component cells of tumor stroma, and lymphatic microvessel density (LMVD) or other clinical parameters in carcinoma was investigated.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical examination of alpha-smooth muscle actin and podoplanin were performed in 83 cases of early-stage invasive colorectal carcinoma.


RESULTS
There was a good correlation between proliferation of myofibroblasts (PMpt) and LMVD (LMVDpt) in the peri-tumoral area (p = 0.0034). Increased PMpt was also associated with lymphatic invasion (p = 0.0051) and with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.011). However, proliferation of myofibroblasts in intra-tumoral (PMit) areas was not associated with these clinical parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Proliferation of myofibroblasts in peri-tumoral areas seem to play an important role in lymphangiogenesis, and is also associated with lymph node metastasis.
Liang
Pin
P
Fourth Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Kasumigaura Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan. lp212003@yahoo.com
Hong
Jian-Wei
JW
Ubukata
Hideyuki
H
Liu
Ge
G
Katano
Motonobu
M
Motohashi
Gyo
G
Kasuga
Teruhiko
T
Watanabe
Yoshinori
Y
Nakada
Ichiro
I
Tabuchi
Takafumi
T
D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D000098853:Podoplanin
D000199:Actins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C117468:PDPN protein, human; D000098853:Podoplanin