title: Tryptase-positive mast cells correlate with angiogenesis in early breast cancer patients.
abstract: Literature data indicate that mast cells (MCs) are involved in tumor angiogenesis due to the release of several pro-angiogenetic factors among which tryptase, a serine protease stored in MCs granules, is one of the most active. However, no data are available concerning the role of MCs in angiogenesis in primary human breast cancer. In this study, we have evaluated the correlations between the number of MCs positive to tryptase (MCDPT), the area occupied by MCs positive to tryptase (MCAPT) and microvascular density (MVD) and endothelial area (EA) in a series of 88 primary T1-3, N0-2 M0 female breast cancer, by means of immunohistochemistry and image analysis methods. Data demonstrated a significant (r = from 0.78 to 0.89; p-value from 0.001 to 0.002 by Pearson's analysis respectively) correlation between MCDPT, MCAPT, MVD, EA to each other. No correlation concerning MCDPT, MCAPT, MVD, EA and the main clinicopathological features was found. Our results suggest that tryptase-positive MCs play a role in breast cancer angiogenesis. In this context several tryptase inhibitors such as gabexate mesilate and nafamostat mesilate might be evaluated in clinical trials as a new anti-angiogenetic approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Area and Surery, National Cancer Institute Giovanni Paolo II, 70126 Bari, Italy. giroran@tiscalinet.it
authors.forename: Girolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ranieri
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ammendola
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patruno
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Celano
authors.forename: Francesco Alfredo
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Zito
authors.forename: Severino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montemurro
authors.forename: Addolorata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rella
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Lecce
authors.forename: Cosmo Damiano
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gadaleta
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Battista De Sarro
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribatti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D053802:Tryptases / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D053802:Tryptases