Clinical implications of expression of ETS-1 related to angiogenesis in uterine endometrial cancers

Abstract

Background: Angiogenesis is essential for development, growth and advancement of solid tumors. During angiogenesis, ETS-1 is strongly expressed in vascular endothelial cells and the adjacent interstitial cells, while the inhibition of ETS-1 expression leads to suppression of angiogenesis. This prompted us to study the clinical implications of ETS-1 in relation to angiogenesis in uterine endometrial cancers. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients underwent resection for uterine endometrial cancers. From the tissues of 60 uterine endometrial cancers, the levels of ets-1 mRNA, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) and interleukin (IL)-8 were determined by competitive RT-PCR using recombinant RNA and enzyme immunoassay, and the localization and counts of microvessel were determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: There was a significant correlation between microvessel count and ets-1 gene expression levels in uterine endometrial cancers. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the localization of ETS-1 was similar to that of vascular endothelial cells. The level of ets-1 mRNA tended to increase with increasing disease stage. Furthermore, the level of ets-1 mRNA correlated with levels of VEGF in well-differentiated adenocarcinomas (G1) and of bFGF in moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas (G2) and poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas (G3). Conclusions: ETS-1 is a possible angiogenic mediator in uterine endometrial cancers.