The balance of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 mRNA is a predictor of lymph node metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer.
A positive association between vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) expression and lymph node metastasis has been reported in several cancers. However, the relationship of VEGF-C and lymph node metastasis in some cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is controversial. We evaluated the VEGF-C and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) expression in NSCLC samples from patients who had undergone surgery between 1998 and 2002 using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining. We failed to find a positive association between VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 mRNA expression and lymph node metastasis in NSCLC. An immunohistological study demonstrated that VEGF-C was expressed not only in cancer cells, but also in macrophages in NSCLC, and that VEGFR-3 was expressed in cancer cells, macrophages, type II pneumocytes and lymph vessels. The VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 ratio of the node-positive group was significantly higher than that of the node-negative group. Immunohistochemical staining showed that VEGFR-3 was mainly expressed in cancer cells. The immunoreactivity of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 was roughly correlated to the mRNA levels of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in real-time PCR. VEGF-C mRNA alone has no positive association with lymph node metastasis in NSCLC. The VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 ratio was positively associated with lymph node metastasis in NSCLC. This suggests that VEGF-C promotes lymph node metastasis while being influenced by the strength of the VEGF-C autocrine loop, and the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 ratio can be a useful predictor of lymph node metastasis in NSCLC.
Takizawa
H
H
Department of Oncological and Regenerative Surgery, University of Tokushima School of Medicine; 3-18-15 Kuramotocho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
Kondo
K
K
Fujino
H
H
Kenzaki
K
K
Miyoshi
T
T
Sakiyama
S
S
Tangoku
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000235:genetics*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3