Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Protein in Astrocytic Tumors

성상세포종에서 혈관내피세포 성장인자의 발현

  • Park, Se-Hyuck (Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Chang, In-Bok (Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Chang-Hyun (Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Cho, Young-Jun (Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Cho, Byung-Moon (Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Shin, Dong-Ik (Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Oh, Sae-Moon (Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Duk-Whan (Department of Pathology, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Nam, Eun-Sook (Department of Pathology, Hallym University College of Medicine)
  • 박세혁 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경외과학교실) ;
  • 장인복 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경외과학교실) ;
  • 김창현 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경외과학교실) ;
  • 조용준 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경외과학교실) ;
  • 조병문 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경외과학교실) ;
  • 신동익 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경외과학교실) ;
  • 오세문 (한림대학교 의과대학 신경외과학교실) ;
  • 김덕환 (한림대학교 의과대학 해부병리학교실) ;
  • 남은숙 (한림대학교 의과대학 해부병리학교실)
  • Received : 2001.01.21
  • Accepted : 2001.05.11
  • Published : 2001.06.28

Abstract

Objective : Angiogenesis, the proliferation of capillary endothelial cells, is a vital component in the development, progression, and metastasis of many human tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific mitogen and induces angiogenesis and vascular permeability. The features of glioblastoma, distinct from low grade astrocytomas, are the presence of necroses and vascular endothelial proliferation. In this study, we investigated VEGF expression in the different grades of astrocytomas and determined whether VEGF expression correlates with development of glioblastoma and progression of astrocytomas. Patients and Methods : Forty seven patients with astrocytic tumors(24 males and 23 females), aged 3 to 65 years, were evaluated. Immunohistochemical staining was carried out using labelled streptavidin biotin method and primary antibody was a antirabbit polyclonal Ab against N-terminus region of VEGF165(Oncogene research product, MA, USA). Immunoreactivity(IR) was classified into no IR(absent or a trace of stain), moderate IR and intense IR by level of staining amount and intensity. Results : Six pilocytic astrocytomas showed 3 no IR and 3 moderate IR, 10 astrocytomas showed 2 no IR, 6 moderate IR and 2 intense IR, 12 anaplastic astrocytomas showed I no IR, 7 moderate IR and 4 intense IR and 19 glioblastomas showed 1 no IR, 11 moderate IR and 7 intense IR. Immunoreactivity was significantly different between low and high grade of tumors but there was no significant difference between anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas. Gemistocytic tumor cells represented the predominent VEGF-immunoreactive cell types, as compared with compactly-arranged small tumor cells. In glioblastomas VEGF IR was observed in both perinecrotic and vital tumor areas. Conclusion : VEGF seems to be a important angiogenic factor in anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas and VEGF expression may contribute to neovascularization of human astrocytomas.

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