The Expression Of VEGF And Ang-2 In Adrenal Hyperplasia And Adrenal Adenoma

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of angiopoietin-2(Ang-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in pheochromocytoma, adrenal adenoma and adrenal hyperplasia and their relationship with adrenal hyperplasia.Material and methods1.48 patients were entered into the current study, among them 18 were pheochromocytoma, 14 were adrenal adenoma and 16 adrenal hyperplasia. 7 normal adrenal samples were collected from patients operated for renal carcinoma .Theses samples were immediately frozened and stored at -80°C.In addition to the above materials, paraffin blocks from 10 pheochromocytoma, 10 adrenal adenoma and 10 adrenal hyperplasia were retrieved from the files of The Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of ZhengZhou University. All the patients did not receive chemotherapy before operation. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining were used to detected the expression of Ang-2 and VEGF in normal adrenal, pheochromocytoma, adrenal adenoma and adrenal hyperplasia.2.Evalution of results The cell containing brown particles were taken as positive cells.The determination of VEGF,Ang-2 protein positive results according to the Soslow's method.The percentage of VEGF and Ang-2 protein positive cells was classified into four groups:<5%(0 point), 6%-25%(l point), 26%-50%(2 points),≥51%(3 points);The intensity of iramunostaining was classified into four groups also:negative(0 point), weak(1 points), mild(2 points), strong(3 points). Product of them was the last results:negative (0-3 points), positive(>4 points).3. All the data were analyzed by SPSS10.0 statistical software package. The comparison of counting data by x~2 test,the dosimetric data comparison of two groups by Student t test,the level of significant difference wasα=0.05.Results1. The positive expression rate of VEGF were 66.67% (16/24) in adrenal adenoma and 34.61%(9/26) in adrenal hyperplasia, showing a significant difference between adrenal adenoma and adrenal hyperplasia (P<0.05,P<0.05).2. The positive expression rate of VEGF was 64.29%(18/28) in pheochromocytoma , showing a significant difference between pheochromocutoma and adrenal hyperplasia (P<0.05,P<0.05).3. The positive expression rate of Ang-2 were 66.76%(16/24) in adrenal adenoma and 26.92%(7/26) in adrenal hyperplasia , showing a significant difference between adrenal adenoma and adrenal hyperplasia(P<0.05). The positive expression rate of Ang-2 was 57.14%(16/28) in pheochromocytoma, showing a significant difference between pheochromocytoma and adrenal hyperplasia(P<0.05).4. The mRNA expression of VEGF and Ang-2 was obviously higher in adrenal adenoma and pheochromocytoma than in adrenal hyperplasia and normal adrenal , and statistical difference existed in these two kinds of results(P<0.05, P<0.05).5. There was no correlation between Ang-2 and VEGF expression and different histological type .There was correlation between Ang-2 and VEGF expression level and different clinico-pathological factors including tumor's volume, location and property.6. The expression of Ang-2 or VEGF in adrenal hyperplasia was higher than those in normal adrenal, though there was no statistical difference existed in these two kinds of results.7. The correlation between mRNA expression and portion expression of Ang-2 or VEGF in adrenal tissue was statistically significant. But there was no correlation between the expression of VEGF and Ang-2.Conclutions1. The high expression of Ang-2 and VEGF in adrenal tumor indicates that both of them play important role in tumor growth and invasion. 2. The high expression of Ang-2 and VEGF may play a role in the occuring of adrenal hyperplasia.3. To inhibit the function of Ang-2 and VEGF might result in the regression of tumor vasculogenisis on which invasion and metastasis depend.