Premium
Interstitial cell cyclooxygenase‐2 expression is associated with increased angiogenesis in human sporadic colorectal adenomas
Author(s) -
Chapple Keith S,
Scott Nigel,
Guillou Pierre J,
Coletta P Louise,
Hull Mark A
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/path.1223
Subject(s) - angiogenesis , immunohistochemistry , pathology , medicine , cd31 , adenoma , colorectal cancer , cyclooxygenase , carcinogenesis , proportional hazards model , cancer research , biology , cancer , enzyme , biochemistry
Cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 plays an important role in intestinal tumorigenesis and angiogenesis in animal models. In superficial areas of human sporadic colorectal adenomas, COX‐2 is expressed predominantly by interstitial macrophages, in close proximity to microvessels. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between microvessel density (MVD) and COX‐2 expression in human sporadic colorectal adenomas. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence for CD31 and COX‐2 were performed on a well‐characterized series of human sporadic colorectal adenomas ( n = 37). The mean MVD and COX‐2 expression level (scored 0–3) in superficial and deep interstitial cells of adenomas were assessed by two independent observers. Superficial MVD was increased in COX‐2‐positive adenomas, compared with COX‐2‐negative adenomas ( p = 0.037). There was a significant correlation between superficial MVD and increasing superficial interstitial cell COX‐2 expression score ( p = 0.048). COX‐2‐expressing interstitial cells aggregated in areas of high MVD. No relationship was evident between MVD and COX‐2 expression in either deep interstitial cells or epithelial cells. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only adenoma size ( p = 0.005) was a significant independent predictor of MVD. COX‐2 protein expression by superficial interstitial cells in human sporadic colorectal adenomas is associated with increased angiogenesis. Promotion of angiogenesis may play a role in the pro‐tumourigenic activity of COX‐2 during growth of human colorectal adenomas. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.