Hongchun Wang1, Xiangnan Huang1, Jingru Zhang1, Na Shao1, L Ong Chen2, Daoxin Ma1, Chunyan Ji3. 1. Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China. 2. Key Lab of Otolaryngology-Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China. 3. Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China. Electronic address: jichunyan@sdu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: VEGF and Dll4/Notch pathways play important roles in tumor angiogenesis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of these two pathway molecules in ovarian cancer and their possible relationships in carcinogenesis. METHODS: Twenty-eight specimens of human ovarian carcinoma, 18 of benign ovarian and 20 of healthy ovarian tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis for VEGF, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2, Dll4, Notch1, and Notch3 expression. Microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated by counting the number of CD34-stained microvessels in each pathologic specimen. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF, VEGFR1, Dll4, Notch1, or Notch3 in ovarian tumor tissues was higher than that in normal ovary tissues as well as that in benign ovarian tumor tissues (P<0.05). In the tumor tissues, Dll4 was positively correlated with VEGFR1 expression and Notch1 was positively associated with VEGFR2 and MVD. Moreover, VEGFR2 expression was positively associated with ascites and distant metastasis (R=0.401, P=0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Dll4 represents a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for ovarian angiogenesis. VEGFR2 is significantly related to ovarian metastasis and invasion. Therefore testing the key molecules of these two pathways expression may have some diagnostic and prognostic value for ovarian cancer.
BACKGROUND:VEGF and Dll4/Notch pathways play important roles in tumor angiogenesis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of these two pathway molecules in ovarian cancer and their possible relationships in carcinogenesis. METHODS: Twenty-eight specimens of humanovarian carcinoma, 18 of benign ovarian and 20 of healthy ovarian tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis for VEGF, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2, Dll4, Notch1, and Notch3 expression. Microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated by counting the number of CD34-stained microvessels in each pathologic specimen. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF, VEGFR1, Dll4, Notch1, or Notch3 in ovarian tumor tissues was higher than that in normal ovary tissues as well as that in benign ovariantumor tissues (P<0.05). In the tumor tissues, Dll4 was positively correlated with VEGFR1 expression and Notch1 was positively associated with VEGFR2 and MVD. Moreover, VEGFR2 expression was positively associated with ascites and distant metastasis (R=0.401, P=0.034). CONCLUSIONS:Dll4 represents a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for ovarian angiogenesis. VEGFR2 is significantly related to ovarian metastasis and invasion. Therefore testing the key molecules of these two pathways expression may have some diagnostic and prognostic value for ovarian cancer.
Authors: U Harjes; E Bridges; K M Gharpure; I Roxanis; H Sheldon; F Miranda; L S Mangala; S Pradeep; G Lopez-Berestein; A Ahmed; B Fielding; A K Sood; A L Harris Journal: Oncogene Date: 2016-08-29 Impact factor: 9.867