title: [Expression of angiopoietin-1 and 2 in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck areas and normal mucosa].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the significance by analyzing the expression of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in the tissues of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck areas and in normal mucosa tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of Ang-1 and Ang-2 in 45 tumor samples and 7 normal mucosa tissues were determined by the immunohistochemical method with avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique. The results were scored by two independent observers and analyzed statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive expression of Ang-1 and Ang-2 existed in the endothelial cells, epithelial cells and also in SCC cells. The positive expression rates of Ang-1 in tumor samples was 78% in the endothelial cells, and 87% in SCC cells. The positive expression rates of Ang-2 in tumor samples was 69% in the endothelial cells, and 76% in SCC cells. The scores of positive expression of Ang-1 and Ang-2 were higher in endothelial cells and in SCC cells of tumor tissues than that of normal mucosa tissues (rank sum test, P < 0. 05). There was positive correlation between the expression of Ang-1 and Ang-2 in the endothelial cells and also in SCC cells (Chi-square test with contingency table, P < 0.05). Ang-1 expression in endothelial cells of tumor tissues was higher in clinical stage III-IV than that in clinical stage I-II (rank sum test, P < 0.05). Ang-2 expression in both endothelial cells and SCC cells, were higher in clinical stage II-IV than that in clinical stage I-II (rank sum test, P < 0.05). There was no statistical significance for degrees of Ang-1 and Ang-2 expression in different histological grades (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expressions of Ang-1 and Ang-2 in advanced SCC were remarkable. Ang-1 and Ang-2 may play a critical role during the progress of SCC of head and neck areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan 250021, China. meihua.zheng@163.com
authors.forename: Mei-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veelken
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lábbe
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bloch
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Michel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C467630:ANGPT1 protein, human; D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D042702:Angiopoietin-2; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A