Vascular endothelial factor C and E-cadherin relationship with the invasion and metastasis of human gastric cancer

Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial factor C(VEGF-C) and E-cadherin in gastric cancer and explore the relationship between expression of VEGF-C and E-cadherin and the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. Methods Real-time quantitative reverse ranscriptase-polymerase chain rection was applied on 40 cases of gastric cancer and corresponding adjacent noncancerous tissues, in order to detect mRNA expression of VEGF-C and E-cadherin gene.VEGF-C and E-cadherin protein expression in gastric cancer and adjacent normal gastric mucosa were detected by immunohistochemistry.Statistical analysis was carried out to analyze the correlation among VEGF-C, E-cadherin and protein expression with various clinical parameters in these gastric cancer patients. Results The expression of VEGF-C protein in 40 cases of gastric cancer's cancer tissues was 0.461±0.012, significantly higher than that in the adjacent normal tissues(0.036+ 0.023; t=1.101, P<0.05), but E-cadherin expression was significantly lower than that of the adjacent normal tissues(0.079±0.002 vs. 0.321±0.005; t=1.844, P<0.05). There was correlation between VEGF-C mRNA expression with histological grading, TNM staging, lymph node and distant metastasis (t=-1.621, -1.474, -2.378, -1.966, P<0.05). There was correlation between E-cadherin mRNA expression with tumor size, histological grading, TNM stage, there was a significant difference(t=1.875, 1.673, 1.544, P<0.05). VEGF-C and E-cadherin protein expression was negatively correlated(r=-0.688, P<0.05). Conclusion Up-regulated of VEGF-C gene and decreased expression of E-cadherin may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer Key words: Gastric cancer; Vascular endothelial factor C; E-cadherin