Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1998. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 15, 1998; 4(1): 10-13
Published online Feb 15, 1998. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v4.i1.10
Significance of vascular endothelial growth factor messenger RNA expression in gastric cancer
Hou-Quan Tao, Yan-Zhen Lin, Rui-Nian Wang
Hou-Quan Tao, Department of Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’ s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, China
Yan-Zhen Lin, Department of Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200025, China
Rui-Nian Wang, Department of Pathology, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200025, China
Hou-Quan Tao, having 17 papers published, Department of Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Hou-Quan Tao, Department of Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, China
Telephone: +86-571-5132615
Received: October 6, 1997
Revised: November 22, 1997
Accepted: December 16, 1997
Published online: February 15, 1998
Abstract

AIM: To study VEGF mRNA expression in gastric carcinoma and to clarify the association of its expression with the clinicopathologic features of the disease.

METHODS: In situ hybridization (ISH) and histochemistry were used to examine and analyze the expression of VEGF mRNA and antigen, and microvessel count (MVC) in 28 cases of gastric carcinomatous tissue in combination with clinical materials.

RESULTS: Ninteen of 28 gastric carcinomas were positive for VEGF mRNA. VEGF mRNA was mainly expressed in malignant cells and not in normal epithelium of gastric mucosa. Its expression was further increased in tumor cells adjacent to tumor necrosis zones, where stromal cells expressed VEGF mRNA occasionally. There was a close correlation between MVC and VEGF mRNA positivity (P < 0.005). High VEGF mRNA levels were significantly associated with serosal invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM staging ( P < 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSION: VEGF mRNA expression is associated with tumor invasion and metastasis by stimulating angiogenesis in gastric carcinoma.

Keywords: stomach neoplasms; RNA, messenger; neoplasm metastasis; gene expression; endothelial growth factor