A study of integrin beta3 mRNA expression and its correlation with microvascular density, progression and prognosis of gastric carcinomas / 中华病理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate mRNA expression of integrin beta3 in gastric carcinoma, its correlation with microvascular density (MVD), growth-pattern, invasion, metastasis and prognosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry techniques were used to study the expression of integrin beta3 mRNA and CD34 protein in 105 gastric carcinoma specimens.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In situ hybridization revealed a 30% (6/20) positive rate of integrin beta3 mRNA in non-tumor gastric mucosa, which was significantly lower than that of the gastric cancer group (61.0%, 64/105, chi(2) = 8.85, P = 0.037); In infiltrating type cases (70.2%, 40/57), stage III - IV (72.1%, 44/61), lymphatic metastasis (68.6%, 48/70) and distant metastasis (85.7%, 36/42), the positive expression rates were significantly higher than those of the expanding type (chi(2) = 14.97, P = 0.002), stage I - II (chi(2) = 15.21, P = 0.015), non-lymphatic metastasis (chi(2) = 17.89, P = 0.025) and non-distant metastasis (chi(2) = 20.22, P = 0.005; chi(2) = 21.35, P = 0.035); its mean MVD was also significantly higher than that of the expanding type (t = 10.105, P = 0.001), stage I approximately II (t = 5.961, P = 0.001), non-lymphatic metastasis (t = 3.819, P = 0.01)and non-distant metastasis (t = 10.578, P = 0.001; t = 7.882, P = 0.001), respectively; The mean MVD (41.02 +/- 8.55)/0.72 mm(2) of the integrin beta3 mRNA positive expression group was significantly higher than (25.26 +/- 11.25)/0.72 mm(2) of the negative expression group. There was a positive relation between MVD and integrin beta3 mRNA expression in the tumor (r(s) = 0.316, P = 0.001). The mean survival time in cases with positive integrin beta3 mRNA expression or MVD value >or= 39.5 was significantly shorter than that in cases with negative expression or MVD value < 39.5.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Integrin beta3 expression correlates with enhanced tumor angiogenesis and may play a role in the invasion and nodal metastasis of gastric carcinoma, therefore it may serve as a prognostic marker of gastric cancer.</p>