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Expression of chymase‐positive cells in gastric cancer and its correlation with the angiogenesis
Author(s) -
Kondo Keisaku,
Muramatsu Michiko,
Okamoto Yukiko,
Jin Denan,
Takai Shinji,
Tanigawa Nobuhiko,
Miyazaki Mizuo
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.20394
Subject(s) - chymase , angiogenesis , medicine , cd34 , cancer , pathology , cancer research , cancer cell , neovascularization , immunology , biology , mast cell , stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology
Background and Objectives Chymase is expressed in mast cells and induces angiogenesis via activation of angiotensin II and matrix metalloproteinase‐9. However, it has been unclear whether chymase is involved in the pathophysiology of angiogenesis in gastric cancer. To clarify the contribution of chymase to angiogenesis in gastric cancer, we assessed the relationship between chymase‐positive cells and tumor angiogenesis. Methods We evaluated chymase‐positive cells and microvessels using anti‐human chymase and anti‐CD34 antibodies in 168 cases of gastric cancer, respectively. Results Chymase‐positive cells in gastric tumor region were significantly higher than the cells in normal region. The number of chymase‐positive cells in the undifferentiated type of gastric tumor region was significantly higher than the one in the differentiated type. Specimens from patients with advanced histological stages of disease had more chymase‐positive cells than those with early‐stage disease. There was a significant positive correlation between chymase‐positive cells and microvessels in gastric cancer specimens. Postoperative survival curves revealed that patients with a high number of chymase‐positive cells had a poor prognosis. Conclusions These results suggest that accumulation of chymase‐positive cells in gastric cancer may lead to an increase of tumor angiogenesis, and may contribute to tumor growth and progression. J. Surg. Oncol. 2006;93:36–42. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.