Maspin nuclear localization is related to reduced density of tumour-associated micro-vessels in laryngeal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
MASPIN, a tumour suppressing serpin, is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis. CD105 is a proliferation-associated protein acting in endothelial cells of angiogenic tissues. For the first time the relation between nuclear MASPIN expression and CD105-assessed micro-vessel density (MVD) in laryngeal carcinoma was investigated.


METHODS
The sub-cellular distribution of MASPIN and nuclear MASPIN expression were immunohistochemically determined in 35 cases of laryngeal carcinoma. The percentage of the fields occupied by CDl05-assessed micro-vessels was also calculated.


RESULTS
MVD was significantly lower in laryngeal carcinomas with MASPIN nuclear staining than in carcinomas with cytoplasmic staining (p=0.02). The mean nuclear MASPIN expression was higher in patients without carcinoma recurrence than in those with recurrence (p=0.06). The mean MVD was significantly higher in patients with recurrence of carcinoma (p=0.024).


CONCLUSIONS
The crucial role of MASPIN nuclear localization in reducing the MVD has been demonstrated. Nuclear MASPIN re-expression should be investigated as a potential therapeutic option in the treatment of laryngeal carcinoma.
Marioni
Gino
G
Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. gino.marioni@unipd.it
D'Alessandro
Emiliano
E
Giacomelli
Luciano
L
De Filippis
Cosimo
C
Calgaro
Nicola
N
Sari
Marianna
M
Staffieri
Alberto
A
Blandamura
Stella
S
D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D000071063:Endoglin; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015843:Serpins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*
D015703:Antigens, CD; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C085344:SERPIN-B5; D015843:Serpins