Expression of VEGF, VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 in in situ and invasive SCC of cervix.
Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arises from the metaplastic epithelium and develops slowly through dysplastic changes (i.e., cervical intraepithelial neoplasia--CIN) to carcinoma in situ and invasive cancer. There is little data concerning the quantitation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its correlation to the clinical or pathologic characteristics of SCC. This study assessed the expression of VEGF, VEGF-C and their receptor VEGFR-2 in 35 samples of normal cervical tissue, 35--CIN1, 35--CIN2 (25 non-pregnant, 15 pregnant women), 35--CIN3 and 30- SCC. VEGF, VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 were analyzed using RT-PCR, RQ-PCR, immunohistochemical staining and Western blot. VEGF, VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 were not detected in normal cervical epithelium. In CIN and SCC, both forms of VEGF and its receptor were identified, indicating a correlation between the increasing expression and staging of carcinoma. Results show the important role of VEGF in cervical progression and that the switch to the lymphangiogenesis phenotype occurs prior to the stage of invasion likely at CIN2/3.
Jach
Robert
R
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Oncology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland. jach@cm-uj.krakow.pl
Dulinska-Litewka
Joanna
J
Laidler
Piotr
P
Szczudrawa
Andrzej
A
Kopera
Andrzej
A
Szczudlik
Lukasz
L
Pawlik
Michal
M
Zajac
Krzysztof
K
Mak
Monika
M
Basta
Antoni
A
D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2