title: Expression of delta-like 4 (Drosophila) and vascular endothelial growth factor A in colon cancer and association with tumour angiogenesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Angiogenesis depends on interaction between a variety of promoting and inhibiting factors, and is known to involve vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) A and the Notch signaling pathway. The present study investigated the expression of Notch ligand delta-like (DLL) 4 (Drosophila), and VEGFA in colon cancer and colorectal adenoma tissue, and the association with tumour angiogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Protein level DLL4, VEGFA and CD34 molecule (CD34) expression was detected immunohistochemically in tissue sections from patients with colon cancer and colorectal adenoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 80 cases (35 with colon cancer, 45 with colorectal adenoma) DLL4 and VEGFA expression was closely related to tumour diameter, clinical stage, histological grade and lymph node metastasis. DLL4 expression was significantly higher in colon cancer tissue than colorectal adenoma tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of DLL4 expression were closely related to metastasis and prognosis in patients with colon cancer. The results of the present study support the conclusion that prognosis of colon cancer is significantly correlated with angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China Zhengyongbin1965@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yongbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhinan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Qiushuang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Shengbo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Gaochun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Haiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Shilun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C424126:DLL4 protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: CD34 molecule; Delta-like protein 4; colon cancer; vascular endothelial growth factor A