Korean J Dermatol.  2007 Apr;45(4):354-361.

The Expression of HOX D3 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C in Skin Tumors

• Kim HD
• Cho MK
• Park YL
• Lee JS
• Whang KU

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The anatomical relation between a malignant tumor and its vascular and lymphatic bed is an important influencing metastasis. Hox D3 is required for these expressions of integrin alpha v beta3 and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), which contribute to endothelial cell adhesion, invasion, and migration during angiogenesis. Recent studies in different tumor types have shown that vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), which displays a high specificity for lymphatic endothelium, is involved in tumor-induced lymphagiogenesis and lymphatic metastatic spread.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to measure the expression of HOX D3 and VEGF-C in different skin cancers.
METHODS
The expression of HOX D3 and VEGF-C was examined by immunohistochemical staining of 40 skin cancer tissue samples, including 8 keratoacanthomas, 8 extramammary paget's disease, 8 basal cell carcinomas, 8 squamous cell carcinomas and 8 malignant melanomas.
RESULTS
Immunohistochemical analysis of 40 skin cancer tissue samples revealed a high expression of HOX D3 and VEGF-C in the more aggressive and invasive skin tumors, including squamous cell carcinomas and malignant melanomas. On the other hand, low expression was seen in the less-invasive skin tumors, including keratoacanthomas, extramammary paget's disease and basal cell carcinomas. Also the degree of expression of HOX D3 and VEGF-C showed a statistically-significant correlation with each skin tumor (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
These findings provide evidence that the upregulation of HOX D3 and VEGF-C might be involved in the promotion of angiogenesis and lymphagiogenesis in skin tumors and play an important role in metastasis.

Keyword

Angiogenesis; HOX D3; Lymphangiogenesis; Metastasis; VEGF-C

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Basal Cell
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Endothelial Cells
Endothelium, Lymphatic
Hand
Integrin alphaV
Keratoacanthoma
Lymphangiogenesis
Melanoma
Neoplasm Metastasis
Paget Disease, Extramammary
Plasminogen Activators
Sensitivity and Specificity
Skin Neoplasms
Skin*
Up-Regulation
Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C*
Integrin alphaV
Plasminogen Activators
Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C