Changes in levels of HGF, c-met and VEGF expression in esophageal carcinogenesis

XU Zhibin; FENG Junpo; YUAN Li; ZHENG Xiuli; WANG Shijie; WU Mingli

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1002-266X.2016.01.003

Abstract：Objective To investigate the expression changes in levels of HGF, c-met and VEGF of fibroblasts in dif-ferent esophageal lesions from normal to precancerous lesion, then to early carcinoma and advanced carcinoma.Methods Immunohistochemistry was uesd to detect the protein expression of HGF, c-met and VEGF in 20 cases of normal tissues, 30 cases of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIEN), 50 cases of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIEN), 25 cases of carcinoma tissues in the early stage ( CIS) and 25 cases of carcinoma tissues in the progressive stage ( EA) , re-spectively.Antibody CD34 marker was used to mark vascular endothelial cells for microvascular density detection.Results As the esophageal carcinogenesis progressed, the positive expression rates of HGF protein in the esophageal epithelia were 0%(0/20), 3.33%(1/30), 26%(13/50), 36%(9/25) and 60%(15/25), respectively.The positive expression rates of HGF protein in esophageal stromal fibroblasts were 0%(0/20), 0%(0/30), 30%(15/50), 52%(13/25) and 76%(19/25).The positive expression rates of c-met protein in the esophageal epithelia were (0/20), 10%(3/30), 30%(15/50), 36%(9/25) and 56%(14/25).The positive expression rates of VEGF protein were 0(0/20), 3.3%(1/30), 26%(13/50), 36%(9/25) and 52%(13/25).Significant difference was found in the positive expression of HGF, c-met and VEGF among five kinds of tissues (χ2 =36.44, 31.81, 23.52 and 20.17, respetively;all P <0.05).Conclu-sions As esophageal carcinogenesis progresses, the expression of HGF and c-met in the esophageal epithelial tissues and VEGF protein in the stromal fibroblasts is significantly increased.HGF/c-met protein pathway can stimulate interstitial fi-broblasts to secrete and express VEGF protein, promote the formation of interstitial capillaries and speed up the progress of cancer.