ABSTRACT
Objective To study the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in breast cancer and its clinical significance.Methods The expression of the protein was determined by immunohistochemistry in 60 cases of breast cancer and 20 cases of benign breast diseases.The relationship of VEGF expression with clinicopathological characteristics was statistically analyzed.Results Of all the 60 cases of breast cancers,49 cases showed positive VEGF expression,while only 4 cases expressed VEGF in the group of breast adenofibroma.There was significant difference between breast cancer and breast adenofibroma( P ＜ 0.05 ).The overexpression of VEGF was related with the tumor size ( P ＜ 0.05 ),histological grade ( P ＜ 0.05 ),lymph node state ( P ＜ 0.05 ) and TNM stage ( P ＜ 0.05 ),but was irrelevant to age,ER and PR( P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion VEGF might have important significance in the development,metastasis and prognosis of human breast cancer.It may be taken as an independent marker to predict the prognosis of breast cancer.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)-synthesizing cells distribute in all over the body. However, very little is known about the morphological localization and the distribution characteristics of ANP-synthesizing cells in different regions of rat stomach. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the ultrastructural localization and distribution characteristics of ANP-synthesizing cells in rat stomach. DESIGN: Repeated measurement experiment. SETTING: Chengde Medical Collage, Chengde, Hebei Province, China. MATERIALS: This study was performed at the Laboratory for Institute of Chinese Materia Medica Immunology (provincial key laboratory), Chengde Medical College between October 2004 and July 2007. Eighteen adult Wistar rats of either gender, weighing 175-300 g, were provided by the Laboratory Animal Center of Chengde Medical College. The disposal of animals was conducted in accordance with ethical guidelines for the use and care of animals. ANP antibody and serum (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc, USA), Protein A-15 nm colloidal gold labeled (Sino-American Biotechnology Company, China), CMIAS image analysis system (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China) and JEM-1200EX transmission election microscope (Japan) were used in the study. METHODS: After gastric and right atrial tissues (as a positive control in immanohistochemical staining for ANP-synthesizing cells) were fleshly excised from anesthetized Wistar rats, the specimens were longitudinally harvested along rat gastric cardiac region, gastric fundic mucosa and gastric pyloric region. Gastric tissue was performed immunohistochemical staining (for positive control) together with right atrial tissue, to observe the distribution characteristics of ANP-synthesizing cells in different regions of rat gastric tissue, and to localize ANP-synthesizing cells. The ultrastructural localization of ANP-synthesizing cells in the rat gastric mucosa was performed by postembedding immunoelectron microscopy. The area-density percentage of ANP-synthesizing cells in the different regions of rat stomach (gastric cardiac region, pyloric region and fundic region) was calculated with a CMIAS image analysis system. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Morphological appearance and localization of ANP-synthesizing cells as well as the different area-density percentage in different regions of rat stomach. RESULTS: As a positive control, ANP-synthesizing cells showed intense positive expression in atrial myocytes and cytoplasm and in gastric mucosa (mainly within the lower third of rat gastric mucosa). The morphological appearance of the individual ANP-synthesizing cell was variable, exhibiting round, pyramidal and flask shapes. Negative staining for ANP-synthesizing cells was detected in the lamina propria, submucosa, and smooth muscle. ANP-synthesizing cells existed in different regions of rat stomach and its area-density was the largest in the pyloric region. The distribution order of ANP-synthesizing cells in area-density was gastric cardiac region > gastric pyloric region > gastric fundic mucosa in mucosa layer. CONCLUSION: ANP-synthesizing cells mainly exist within the lower third of the rat gastric mucosa. The percentage of area-density of ANP-synthesizing cellswas variable in different regions of rat gastric mucosa, and its percentage of area-density was the largest in the gastric cardiac region.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Previous researches have proved that both atrial natriuretic polypeptide (ANP) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) exist in the same endocrine granule of enterochromaffin cell (EC). However, whether ANP may promote or inhibit synthesis and secretion of 5-HT needs to be further studied. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of ANP on synthesis and secretion of 5-HT in EC of rat gastric mucosa.DESIGN: Randomized controlled animals study.SETTING: Immunology Laboratory, Chengde Medical College. MATERIALS: This study was performed at the Immunology Laboratory, Chengde Medical College from October 2004 to July 2007. Forty adult male Wistar rats were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of Chengde Medical College. The experiment was in accordance with animal ethics standards. ANP, 5-HT antibody and serum were provided by Santa Cruz Biotechnology Company, USA.METHODS: Forty rats were randomly into endocrine and exocrine groups, and rats in the two groups were sub-grouped into control and experimental groups with 10 in each group. ANP (28 μg, 14 mg/L) was directly injected into the stomach to mimic ANP luminal secretion and ANP (14 μg, 14 mg/L) was directly injected into the sublingual vein to mimic ANP endocrinal secretion. In above condition, 5-HT immunoreactive positive cell was displayed by using immunohistochemistry technique, numerical density (Nv) of endocrine granule (SG) was counted by using electron microscopic morphometry, and 5-HT level in the serum was measured by using HPLC-ECD technique. And then, the results were compared to the control group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effects of ANP on density of 5-HT immunoreactive positive cell, numerical density (Nv) of SG and 5-HT level in the serum. RESULTS: Effect of luminal and endocrine ANP on the 5-HT secretion: The density of immunoreactive positive cell and the numerical density (Nv) of SG were significantly increased by luminal and endocrine ANP (P＜0.05), while 5-HT level in serum was significantly reduced by luminal and endocrine ANP (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION: Luminal and endocrinal ANP can inhibit 5-HT release of gastric mucosa but may not change or enhancement its synthesis in rat.