Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis in the Adrenocortical Tumors

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Pereira, SS (Author) ICBAS; Costa, MM (Author) ICBAS; Susana Guerreiro (Author) FCNAUP; Monteiro, M (Author) ICBAS; Pignatelli, D (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Pathology Oncology Research

Vol. 24

Pages: 689-693

ISSN: 1219-4956

Publisher: Frontiers Media

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 8 Citations

Scopus - 8 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00N-NH7

DOI: 10.1007/s12253-017-0259-6

Abstract (EN): Adrenocortical tumors (ACT) are common adrenal tumors. The majority of ACTs are non-functioning and benign, while adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) are rare, usually very aggressive and often metastasized when first diagnosed. Our aim was to assess whether blood and lymph vessel density within ACTs correlate with the malignancy character or tumor functionality. For that, the microvascular distribution was evaluated by immunohistochemistry staining with D2-40 antibody, for lymph vessels and CD-31 antibody, for blood vessels, in ACCs (n = 15), adenomas with Cushing syndrome (n = 9) and non-functioning adenomas (n = 10). The percentage of stained area was quantified by computerized morphometric analysis. D2-40 expression was significantly lower in ACC as compared to adenomas with Cushing syndrome (p < 0.01) and correlated positively with the expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) (R-2 = 0.553, p < 0.001). CD31 expression was found to be significantly higher in ACC as compared to adenomas with Cushing syndrome (p < 0.05). Our results show that angiogenesis is increased in ACC, suggesting that this phenomenon may have an important role in ACT biological behavior, while lymph vascular density seems to be more closely related to the tumor functional status than malignancy.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5