title: Expression of autocrine motility factor correlates with the angiogenic phenotype of and poor prognosis for human gastric cancer.
abstract: Autocrine motility factor (AMF) is a cytokine known to regulate tumor cell motility. Recent studies have extended its role to many other aspects of cancer biology. In the present study, we examined the level of AMF expression and its relationship with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and the angiogenic phenotype in human gastric cancer and their effect on survival. The AMF and VEGF expression level and tumor microvessel density (MVD) status in archived tissue specimens from 86 resected gastric cancer cases were determined. AMF expression was significantly higher in both primary tumors and lymph node metastases than in adjacent normal gastric mucosa and normal gastric mucosa from individuals without gastric cancer. In univariate survival analyses, strong AMF expression was associated with inferior survival (P = 0.028). In a Cox proportional hazards model, strong AMF expression (P = 0.019) was independently prognostic of poor survival. Strong AMF expression in the lymph node metastases was associated with poor survival (P = 0.011). Furthermore, AMF expression in the primary tumors was directly correlated with VEGF expression and MVD status. We found the first clinical evidence that AMF expression is directly correlated with VEGF expression and MVD status and predicts clinical outcome in patients with gastric cancer, supporting the hypothesis that the AMF/AMF receptor pathway plays an important role in multiple aspects of cancer biology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Weida
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Yixing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Liwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Daoyan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Suyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shengyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Keping
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D005956:Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D005956:Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase