title: Expression of Rac1, HIF-1α, and VEGF in gastric carcinoma: correlation with angiogenesis and prognosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as well as their correlation with angiogenesis and prognosis in gastric carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of Rac1, HIF-1α, VEGF, and CD34 (described in terms of microvessel density, MVD) was determined by immunohistochemical staining of tissues from 60 radically resected gastric cancer specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of specimens expressing Rac1, HIF-1α, and VEGF was 37/60 (61.7%), 35/60 (58.3%), and 40/60 (66.7%), respectively. The levels of Rac1, HIF-1α, and VEGF expression were significantly correlated with Lauren's classification, lymph node metastasis, and pathologic staging (p < 0.05). There were positive correlations between MVD and the expression of Rac1, HIF-1α, and VEGF. The mean survival time and 5-year survival rate in cases with positive Rac1, HIF-1α, and VEGF expression and MVD ≥ 26.3 were significantly shorter than those with negative Rac1, HIF-1α, and VEGF expression and MVD < 26.3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rac1, HIF-1α, and VEGF play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis, especially in tumor angiogenesis. Thus, testing the expression of Rac1, HIF-1α, and VEGF may be a useful index for treatment and prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital and City Key Laboratory of Tianjin Cancer Center, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiangyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jingyu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Baogui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xishan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis*; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; C107953:RAC1 protein, human; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein