J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2001 Jun;30(6):683-687.

Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Protein in Astrocytic Tumors

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Department of Pathology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

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.

Keyword

Vascular endothelial growth factor; Angiogenesis; Astrocytoma

MeSH Terms

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents
Astrocytoma
Biotin
Capillary Permeability
Endothelial Cells
Glioblastoma
Humans
Male
Necrosis
Neoplasm Metastasis
Streptavidin
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents
Biotin
Streptavidin
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
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