Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Its Relation with Neovascularization and Apoptosis in Grading of Astrocytic Tumors

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 17(3); 1999 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1999;17(3): 394-402.

성상세포종양에서 VEGF발현과 혈관신생 및 세포자멸사와의 상관성

김두천, 이민철*, 김세종

전남대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실, 병리학교실*, 의과학연구소

Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Its Relation with Neovascularization and Apoptosis in Grading of Astrocytic Tumors

Doo-Cheon Kim ? Min-Cheol Lee* ? Sei-Jong Kim

Department of Neurology, Pathology*, Chonnam University Medical School and Research Institute of Medical sciences

Abstract

Background: The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known as a potent mediator of brain tumor angio-genesis, vascular permeablity, and glioma growth. This study was designed to study the balance between growth and death signals in different grades of astrocytic tumors.
Methods: Using immunohistochemistry, the relationship between the expression of VEGF and microvessel count and density were evaluated in 62 cases of astrocytic tumors including 33 low grade astrocytomas, 6 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 23 glioblastomas. In order to determine the apoptotic index (AI), the in situ end-labeling method was applied.
Results: VEGF was expressed on the tumor cell cytoplasm. Of 62 tumors, 44 (77%) were weak to strong postive for VEGF, but 18 cases were not reactive. VEGF positivity was correlat-ed with WHO grades of the astrocytic tumors; low grade astrocytomas (52%), anaplastic astrocytomas (83%), and glioblastomas (96%). Mean microvessel count and density were significantly higher in VEGF-positive tumors (75.7 and 4.1%) than in VEGF-negative tumors (43.9 and 2.5%). Apoptotic cells were readily found in the astrocytic tumors; the highest value of AI was observed in glioblastomas (8.6%) and the lowest in anaplastic astrocytomas (1.9%). It seemed that the grade of malignancy was not related with AI values.
Conclusions: These results suggest that VEGF promotes angiogenesis with tumor cell growth against apoptotic cell death in the human astrocytomas. J Kor Neurol Ass 17(3):394 ~ 402, 1999 Key Words : VEGF, Apoptosis, Neovascularization, Astrocytoma, Grade