Expression of thrombospondin 1 (TSP 1) in patients with uterine smooth muscle tumors: an immunohistochemical study.
OBJECTIVE
Angiogenesis is an essential component for tumor development regulated by both proangiogenic and antiangiogenic factors. Thrombospondin 1 (TSP 1) suppresses angiogenesis by inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation and inducing endothelial cell apoptosis. The aim of this study was to compare the expression of TSP 1 in cases with leiomyoma, uterine smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP) and leiomyosarcoma (LMS). Furthermore, we evaluated the prognostic relevance of TSP 1 in uterine LMS.


METHODS
TSP 1 expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry from paraffin-embedded tissue in 26 patients with leiomyoma, in 24 patients with STUMP and in 21 patients with LMS. Standard immunohistochemical techniques were used to study the expression of TSP 1 in 5-mum-thick tumor sections. TSP 1 expression was correlated with survival using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test for univariate analysis.


RESULTS
TSP 1 was expressed in 77% of leiomyomas, in 13% of STUMP and in 24% of LMS. A statistically significant difference regarding the frequency of TSP 1 expression was observed between leiomyoma and LMS (P < 0.05) as well as between leiomyoma and STUMP (P < 0.05), but not between LMS and STUMP (P > 0.05). Furthermore, a statistically significant correlation between vascular space involvement and TSP 1 expression was observed in patients with uterine LMS, with patients without vascular space involvement having more frequently TSP 1 positive tumors (P = 0.04). No statistically significant correlation between TSP 1 and clinical stage, age and recurrence disease could be detected (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
We found that TSP 1 was more frequently expressed in leiomyoma compared to STUMP and LMS. Additionally, the statistically significant negative correlation between vascular space involvement and TSP 1 expression in patients with uterine LMS shows that TSP 1 might work as a predictive factor in patients with LMS. Further clinical studies are necessary to prove our results and to clarify the role of TSP 1 in uterine smooth muscle tumors.
Bodner-Adler
Barbara
B
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Vienna Medical School, A-1090 Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Austria. Barbara.Bodner-Adler@meduniwien.ac.at
Nather
Andreas
A
Bodner
Klaus
K
Czerwenka
Klaus
K
Kimberger
Oliver
O
Leodolter
Sepp
S
Mayerhofer
Klaus
K
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018235:Smooth Muscle Tumor / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019700:Thrombospondin 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D019700:Thrombospondin 1