title: Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in normal oral mucosa, oral dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic cytokine implicated in tumour vasculogenesis. A significant increase in vascularity occurs during the transition from normal oral mucosa (NOM), through dysplasia, to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This study investigated the presence of VEGF in NOM, oral dysplasia and SCC. The correlation between VEGF expression and the grade of dysplasia or differentiation of SCC was also examined. Specimens consisting of NOM, oral dysplastic lesions and oral SCC were stained using standard immunohistochemistry methods to determine VEGF expression. Statistical analysis indicated an up-regulation of VEGF during the transition from NOM, through dysplasia to SCC. There was also a significant difference in expression according to differentiation of SCC, but not grade of dysplasia. As VEGF is a potent mediator of vascular development, these results suggest that VEGF may play an important role in the maintenance of a blood supply for developing pre-cancerous and invasive oral lesions.
authors.affiliation: Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. shane.johnstone@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnstone
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Logan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A