BACKGROUND: Solid tumors, including endometrial carcinomas, must induce a vascular stroma to grow beyond a minimal size. The mechanisms responsible for angiogenesis in endometrial carcinoma, however, are not well defined. Vascular permeability factor (VPF), also known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is a multifunctional cytokine that is an important regulator of tumor angiogenesis. We evaluated VPF/VEGF mRNA and protein expression, as well as VPF/VEGF receptor mRNA expression, in endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: Fourteen examples of endometrial carcinoma were evaluated by in situ hybridization; in 7 cases, benign atrophic endometrium from the same patient was also examined. Histologic sections were subjected to in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled riboprobes specific for VPF/VEGF and, in a subset of cases, riboprobes specific for the VPF/VEGF receptors flt-1 and KDR. In addition, ten examples of endometrial carcinoma were evaluated for VPE/VEGF protein expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: All 14 examples of endometrial carcinoma studied by in situ hybridization exhibited focal strong VPF/VEGF mRNA expression by tumor cells. In addition, the endothelial cells of surrounding microvessels strongly expressed flt-1 and KDR mRNAs in all ten cases examined. In contrast, no strong expression of VPF/VEGF, flt-1, or KDR mRNA was observed in the seven examples of benign atrophic endometrium studied. All ten cases of endometrial carcinoma studied by immunohistochemistry exhibited strong VPF/VEGF protein expression by tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that VPF/VEGF is an important angiogenic factor in endometrial carcinoma.
BACKGROUND: Solid tumors, including endometrial carcinomas, must induce a vascular stroma to grow beyond a minimal size. The mechanisms responsible for angiogenesis in endometrial carcinoma, however, are not well defined. Vascular permeability factor (VPF), also known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is a multifunctional cytokine that is an important regulator of tumor angiogenesis. We evaluated VPF/VEGF mRNA and protein expression, as well as VPF/VEGF receptor mRNA expression, in endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: Fourteen examples of endometrial carcinoma were evaluated by in situ hybridization; in 7 cases, benign atrophic endometrium from the same patient was also examined. Histologic sections were subjected to in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled riboprobes specific for VPF/VEGF and, in a subset of cases, riboprobes specific for the VPF/VEGF receptors flt-1 and KDR. In addition, ten examples of endometrial carcinoma were evaluated for VPE/VEGF protein expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: All 14 examples of endometrial carcinoma studied by in situ hybridization exhibited focal strong VPF/VEGF mRNA expression by tumor cells. In addition, the endothelial cells of surrounding microvessels strongly expressed flt-1 and KDR mRNAs in all ten cases examined. In contrast, no strong expression of VPF/VEGF, flt-1, or KDR mRNA was observed in the seven examples of benign atrophic endometrium studied. All ten cases of endometrial carcinoma studied by immunohistochemistry exhibited strong VPF/VEGF protein expression by tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that VPF/VEGF is an important angiogenic factor in endometrial carcinoma.
Authors: A Giatromanolaki; M I Koukourakis; E Sivridis; P E Thorpe; R A Brekken; S Konstantinos; G Fountzilas; K C Gatter; A L Harris Journal: Clin Exp Metastasis Date: 2000 Impact factor: 5.150
Authors: A Craig Lockhart; Mace L Rothenberg; Jakob Dupont; Wendy Cooper; Paul Chevalier; Lars Sternas; Giliane Buzenet; Elizabeth Koehler; Jeffrey A Sosman; Lawrence H Schwartz; David H Gultekin; Jason A Koutcher; Edwin F Donnelly; Ric Andal; Isabelle Dancy; David R Spriggs; William P Tew Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2009-11-30 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Martee L Hensley; Michael W Sill; Dennis R Scribner; Jubilee Brown; Robert L Debernardo; Ellen M Hartenbach; Carolyn K McCourt; James R Bosscher; Paola A Gehrig Journal: Gynecol Oncol Date: 2009-10-06 Impact factor: 5.482