Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in stage I non-small cell lung cancer correlates with neoangiogenesis and a poor prognosis

The Increased Expression of Connexin and VEGF in Mouse Ovarian Tissue Vitrification by Follicle Stimulating Hormone

Ovarian follicular damages were caused by cryoinjury during the process of ovarian vitrification and ischemia/reperfusion during the process of ovarian transplantation. And appropriate FSH plays an important role in antiapoptosis during ovarian follicle development. Therefore, in this study, 0.3 IU/mL FSH was administered into medium during mouse ovarian cryopreservation by vitrification to ascertain the function of FSH on ovarian vitrification and avascular transplantation. The results suggested that the expressions of Cx37, Cx43, apoptotic molecular caspase-3, and angiogenesis molecular VEGF were confirmed using immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and real-time PCR, and the results suggested that the treatment with FSH remarkably increased the number of morphologically normal follicles in vitrified/warmed ovaries by upregulating the expression of Cx37, Cx43, VEGF, and VEGF receptor 2, but downregulating the expression of caspase-3. In addition, the vitrified/warmed ovaries were transplanted, and the related fertility was analyzed, and the results suggested that the fertility, neoangiogenesis, and follicle reserve were remarkably increased in the FSH administrated group. Taken together, administration of 0.3 IU/mL FSH during ovarian cryopreservation by vitrification can maintain ovarian survival during ovarian vitrification and increases the blood supply with avascular transplantation via upregulation of Cx43, Cx37, and VEGF/VEGFR2, as well as through its antiapoptotic effects.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of galectin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in gastric cancer

AIM: To evaluate the expression of galectin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in gastric cancer and investigate their relationships with clinicopathologic factors and prognostic significance.

METHODS: Galectin-1 and VEGF were immunohistochemically investigated in tumor samples obtained from 214 gastric cancer patients with all tumor stages. Immunohistochemical analyses for galectin-1 and VEGF expression were performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of surgical specimens. The relationship between the expression and staining intensity of galectin-1 and VEGF, clinicopathologic variables, and patient survival were analyzed. All patients underwent follow-up until cancer-related death or more than five years after tumor resection. P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that 138 of 214 gastric cancer samples (64.5%) were positive for galectin-1, and 116 out of 214 gastric cancer samples (54.2%) were positive for VEGF. There was a significant association between galectin-1 and VEGF expression; VEGF was detected in 60.1% of galectin-1-positive samples and 43.4% of galectin-1-negative samples (P < 0.05). Galectin-1 expression was associated with tumor size, tumor location, stage, lymph node metastases, and VEGF expression (all P < 0.05). VEGF expression was related to tumor size, stage, and lymph node metastases (all P < 0.05). The 5-year survival rate was 56.6% for galectin-1-positive patients and 69.2% for galectin-1-negative patients, and the prognosis for galectin-1-positive patients was significantly poorer compared with galectin-1-negative patients (χ² = 13.880, P = 0.000). The 5-year survival rates for VEGF-positive and VEGF-negative patients were 53.4% and 70.5%, respectively (χ² = 4.619, P = 0.032). The overall survival rate of patients with both galectin-1 and VEGF overexpression in gastric cancer tissue samples was significantly poorer than other groups (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Galectin-1 expression was positively associated with VEGF expression. Both galectin-1 and VEGF can serve as independent prognostic indicators of poor survival for gastric cancer after gastrectomy.

Targeting angiogenesis in childhood sarcomas

Angiogenesis and vasculogenesis constitute two processes in the formation of new blood vessels and are essential for progression of solid tumors. Consequently, targeting angiogenesis, and to a lesser extent vasculogenesis, has become a major focus in cancer drug development. Angiogenesis inhibitors are now being tested in pediatric populations whereas inhibitors of vasculogenesis are in an earlier stage of development. Despite the initial enthusiasm for targeting angiogenesis for treatment of cancer, clinical trials have shown only incremental increases in survival, and agents have been largely cytostatic rather than inducing tumor regressions. Consequently, the role of such therapeutic approaches in the context of curative intent for childhood sarcomas is less clear. Here we review the literature on blood vessel formation in sarcomas with a focus on pediatric sarcomas and developments in targeting angiogenesis for treatment of these rare cancers.

Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in pN2 non-small cell lung cancer: Lack of prognostic value

OBJECTIVE

Although several previous studies have investigated the prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in non-small cell lung (NSCL) cancer, no previous study has concentrated on NSCL cancer with pathologically abnormal mediastinal nodes (pN2).

METHODOLOGY

A total of 60 patients with pN2 NSCL cancer who had undergone a complete resection with a systematic mediastinal lymph node dissection were reviewed retrospectively. Immunohistochemical examination, using antibodies against VEGF, was conducted. The prognostic significance of VEGF expression and clinicopathological factors were analysed.

RESULTS

The overall 5-year survival rate was 21.7%. With respect to clinicopathological factors, single N2 involvement and skip metastasis were significantly associated with patients' survival. Expression of VEGF was found in 35/60 (58.3%) patients. VEGF expression was not related to the clinicopathological parameters examined. There was no relationship between survival rates and patients positive and negative for VEGF. Multivariate analysis showed that single N2 disease was an independent prognostic factor, while VEGF expression was not.

CONCLUSIONS

Although VEGF expression might be important for tumour development and maintenance, no prognostic significance of VEGF expression in pN2 NSCL cancer was found.

Circulating angiogenic growth factor levels in mice bearing human tumors using Luminex Multiplex technology

Tumor angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and metastasis formation. Luminex methodology was used to measure the levels of four angiogenic cytokines in cell culture medium and in the plasma of mice bearing human tumors. We obtained plasma and conditioned culture medium from 12 different human tumor cell lines. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) were determined by the Luminex FlowMetrix assay. VEGF, TNF-alpha, and bFGF were undetectable in non-tumor-bearing animals. HS746T gastric cancer and Caki-1 renal cell cancer cells in culture produced high levels of VEGF (1000 and 450 pg/10(6) cells, respectively). High levels of TGF-beta were produced by HS746T gastric carcinoma and Calu-6 non-small-cell lung carcinoma (3000 and 1000 pg/10(6) cells, respectively). Caki-1 renal cell carcinoma and Calu-6 non-small-cell lung carcinoma cells in culture produced high levels of bFGF (42 and 10 pg/10(6) cells, respectively). Caki-1, SW2 SCLC, HCT-116 and HT-29 colon tumors produced high plasma levels of VEGF (200, 220, 42, and 151 pg/ml, respectively) and TGF-beta (31, 36, 45, 32 pg/ml, respectively). A positive linear correlation was seen between tumor volume and VEGF in SW2 (r=0.87) and Caki-1 (r=0.47) tumors, and a moderate correlation in HCT116 tumors (r=0.3). Angiogenic profiles in the plasma of nude mice bearing human tumors may be useful to identify appropriate biomarkers for antiangiogenic therapy, as diagnostic and prognostic tools, and to monitor the responses of individual tumors to antiangiogenic therapy.