Vascular endothelial growth factor and KIT expression in relation with microvascular density and tumor grade in supratentorial astrocytic tumors

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between microvascular density and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and KIT as possible markers of angiogenic stimulus in astrocytic tumors and correlate it with histopathological grading. METHODS: We enrolled 99 surgical specimens of supratentorial astrocytic tumors for analysis of VEGF and KIT and subsequent correlation with MVD and grading. RESULTS: KIT and VEGF expression correlated with microvascular density (p<0.005) and both VEGF and microvascular density correlated with grading (p<0.005). KIT had no significant relationship with grading (p=0.657). CONCLUSION: KIT and VEGF constitute important pathways in the angiogenesis of astrocytomas and therefore are promising prognostic tools and options for therapeutic intervention.

Estudo imuno-histoquímico de enzimas de correlação dos erros de pareamento do DNA em adenocarcinomas gástricos e suas relações com características clínico-patológicas e prognóstico / Immunohistochemical study of DNA mismatch-repair enzymes in gastric carcinomas and their relation to clinico-pathological features and prognosis

OBJETIVOS: Caracterizar o perfil de imunoexpressão de MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 e PMS2 em adenocarcinomas gástricos, explorando seu desempenho na identificação de características clínicas e patológicas, bem como sua influência prognóstica isolada e em relação aos demais parâmetros. MÉTODOS: Cento e trinta e três casos de adenocarcinomas gástricos esporádicos localmente avançados (pT2a ou mais) operados no Hospital das Clínicas/FMUSP foram incluídos pela ausência de metástases a distância ao diagnóstico (M0) e caracterizados clínica (idade, sexo e sobrevida) e patologicamente (tamanho, local, tipo de Borrmann, tipo histológico, infiltração vascular, perineural e variáveis de estadiamento locorregional). Amostras de 1,0 mm foram dispostas em micromatrizes teciduais (TMA) para pesquisa imuno-histoquímica das enzimas MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 e PMS2, com detecção por sistema de polímeros curtos conjugados a peroxidase. Casos com resultados negativos ou incertos nas amostras de TMA tiveram repetidas as reações em secções convencionais. A associação entre o estado de expressão dos marcadores com variáveis clínicopatológicas foi avaliada através do teste do qui-quadrado ou exato de Fisher. O impacto dos parâmetros clínico-patológicos e estado de expressão das enzimas na sobrevida foi explorado em modelos uni e multivariados de Cox, com construção de curvas de Kaplan-Meyer. Todas as análises estatísticas foram consideradas significativas ao nível de p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Quarenta e cinco casos (33,6%) exibiram perda de expressão de ao menos uma enzima, sendo frequente a perda de duas (9/45: 20%), três (14/45:31,2%) ou quatro enzimas (7/45:15,5%). Anormalidade mais frequente ocorreu com o MLH1 (26,7%), seguida de MSH6 (23%), PMS2 (21%) e MSH2 (20,8%). Quando avaliadas em conjunto, houve correlação entre o estado de expressão de todos os possíveis pares, com destaque para MLH1/PMS2 (rho=0,467, p<0,001) e MSH2/MSH6 (rho=0,666, p<0,001). Perda de MLH1 associou-se a tipos I/II de Borrmann...

OBJECTIVES: To characterize immunoexpression profile of MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 e PMS2 in gastric adenocarcinomas, exploring its performance to identify distinctive clinico-pathological features, as well as their prognostic implications in univariate and multivariate analyses. METHODS: A hundred and thirty three cases of locally advanced (pT2a or higher) sporadic gastric adenocarcinomas operated on Hospital das Clínicas/FMUSP were included due to absence of distant metastases at diagnosis (M0). Clinical (age, gender and survival) and pathological features (size, local, Borrmann´s type, histological type, vascular and perineural infiltration and locorregional staging parameters) were characterized. One millimeter samples were placed on tissue microarray blocks (TMA) and immunohistochemical detection of MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 performed on obtained sections, with revelation developed by peroxidase conjugated short-polymer based reagents. Negative or equivocal results obtained with TMA samples were repeated on conventional sections. Association between expression status for these markers and clinico-pathological features were evaluated by chisquare or Fisher´s exact test when appropriate. Impact of clinico-pathological features and expression status on disease specific survival were explored by Cox uni and multivariate models, with Kaplan-Meyer curves being fitted to illustrate these. All statistical results were considered significant at p<0,05. RESULTS: Forty five cases (33.6%) showed loss of at least one mismatchrepair enzyme, being frequent loss of two (9/45: 20%), three (14/45:31.2%) or even the four evaluated enzymes (7/45:15.5%). The most frequent abnormality addressed MLH1 (26.7%), followed by MSH6 (23%), PMS2 (21%) and MSH2 (20.8%). When analyses were performed in conjunction, correlation was identified for the expression status of all possible pairs, mainly the functional heterodimers MLH1/PMS2 (rho=0.467, p<0.001) and MSH2/MSH6 (rho=0.666, p<0.001)...