[Expressions of VEGF-C and VEGF-D and their correlation with lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in gallbladder carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D and their correlations with lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in gallbladder carcinoma.


METHODS
Fifty cases of gallbladder carcinoma with complete clinical and pathological data were analyzed. The expression of VEGF-C and -D, D2-40, CD31 was assayed by immunohistochemical staining, with 10 samples of normal gallbladder tissues away from cancer and 19 samples of chronic cholecystitis as controls, and their correlation with clinicopathological findings were analyzed retrospectively.


RESULTS
Thirty-two (64.0%) of the 50 gallbladder cancers were positive for VEGF-C protein expression by immunohistochemistry and the positive rate of VEGF-D protein expression was 62.0% (31/50). The protein expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in tumor tissues was significantly higher than that in normal gallbladder tissues away from the tumor (P < 0.05), but no correlation with that in chronic cholecystitis (P < 0.05). The VEGF-C expression correlated with the patient age and lymph node metastasis (both P < 0.05). The VEGF-D expression only correlated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). In the 50 gallbladder cancers, the MLVD was 6.9 + or - 3.6 and the MVD was 36.1 + or - 12.8. The MLVD in both VEGF-C and -D positive groups was significantly higher than that in the negative groups (P = 0.000), and the lymph node metastasis also increased. MVD in both VEGF-C and -D positive groups was higher than that in the negative groups (P < 0.05), and it was also correlated with tumor differentiation (P < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was also found between VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression (r = 0.498, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF-C and VEGF-D are involved in the lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in gallbladder carcinoma, promote lymph node metastasis of the tumor, and both are important in the regulation of lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in this cancer. VEGF-C and VEGF-D are of clinical significance in evaluating lymph node metastatic potency and estimation of prognosis in gallbladder carcinoma.
Jiang
Lei
L
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Union Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, China.
Chen
Yan-ling
YL
She
Fei-fei
FF
Tang
Nan-hong
NH
Li
Xiu-jin
XJ
Wang
Xiao-xi
XX
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism*; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000378:metabolism*
C467486:VEGFC protein, human; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D