title: [Cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in pharyngeal tissue of patients with OSAHS correlates with angiogenesis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To reseach the correlations between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressions and angiogenesis in pharyngeal tissue of patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsies were obtained by uvulopalatopharyngoplasty from 40 patients with mild to severe OSAHS. Control specimens of palatopharyngeal and palatoglossal arch mucosa were retreved from 6 patients with chronic tonsillitis and proved have no related disorders. HE was used to observe the changes of pharyngeal tissue, immunohistochemical staining with antibodies against COX-2, VEGF, microvessel density (MVD) (marked with CD34).
  
  
  RESULTS
  COX-2 and VEGF mainly expressed at pavement-epithelium and glandular epithelium of pharyngeal tissue, and stronger COX-2 and VEGF expression was found in midrange and severe OSAHS than mild and control group (P < 0.01), so as MVD. COX-2 expression was correlated positively with VEGF expression, and had significant correlation with MVD. VEGF expression had the same correlation with MVD. These three targets had considerable relation with apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and lowest O2 saturation at night.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was angiogenesis which had important relationship with hypoxia degree in patients of OSAHS, and COX-2 and VEGF play a crucial role in its development.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325000, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Huan
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yu-Peng
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Ling-Jie
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Liang-Xing
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D010614:Pharynx / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human