Immature tumor angiogenesis in high-grade and high-stage renal cell carcinoma

• Published in: Urology (Ridgewood, N.J.) N.J.), 2003-10, Vol.62 (4), p.765-770
• Main Authors: Kinouchi, Toshiaki, Mano, Masayuki, Matsuoka, Ikuyo, Kodama, Sae, Aoki, Tomomi, Okamoto, Mina, Yamamura, Hisako, Usami, Michiyuki, Takahashi, Katsuhito
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actins - analysis; Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell - blood supply; Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell - pathology; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Calcium-Binding Proteins - analysis; Calponins; Capillaries - chemistry; Capillaries - pathology; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - blood supply; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - pathology; Female; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Kidney Neoplasms - blood supply; Kidney Neoplasms - pathology; Kidneys; Male; Medical sciences; Microfilament Proteins; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Proteins - analysis; Neoplasm Staging; Neovascularization, Pathologic - pathology; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 - analysis; Tumors of the urinary system
• ISSN: 0090-4295; 1527-9995
• DOI: 10.1016/S0090-4295(03)00512-0

To investigate the correlation between pathologic findings and maturation of the tumor neovasculature of renal cell carcinoma by immunohistochemical studies. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens from 25 randomly selected patients with renal cell carcinoma were stained with mouse monoclonal antibodies, anti-human CD31, anti-alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA), and anti-human calponin by the indirect immunoperoxidase method. The microvessels were counted in six areas with the higher number of microvessels in each patient at 200× magnification (0.255 mm 2 per area). The number of CD31-positive microvessels in grade 3 tumors was significantly lower than those in grade 1 or 2 tumors ( P = 0.003222 and P = 0.043217, respectively). The CD31-positive microvessel counts of those of higher stage, tumor size greater than 4.5 cm, or non-clear cell type were significantly lower than tumors of lower stage, size less than 4.6 cm, or clear cell type. In the grade 3 tumors, the expression ratio of the number of αSMA-positive microvessels to the number of CD31-positive microvessels was significantly decreased compared with grade 1 or 2 tumors ( P = 0.000011 and P = 0.000000, respectively). The expression of calponin in the tumor neovasculature was not observed. The expression ratios of the number of αSMA-positive microvessels to the number of CD31-positive microvessels in higher stages, larger tumor sizes, or non-clear cell types were significantly decreased. The tumor neovasculature of high-grade and high-stage tumors was immature. These results imply that high-grade tumors of renal cell carcinomas may be susceptible to antiangiogenesis therapy inducing apoptosis of immature tumor vessels.