Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in 45 prostatic carcinoma specimens and ten benign prostatic tumours (BPH). The majority of carcinoma specimens exhibited cytoplasmic staining for VEGF and showed a trend of increasing expression with dedifferentiation (2p = 0.003). Immunoreactive VEGF was also seen in the prostatic carcinoma cell lines, the order of staining intensity was PC3 > DU145 > LNCaP. Intense granular cytoplasmic staining for VEGF was observed in neuroendocrine-like cells which were seen focally in many of the prostatic specimens. Consecutive sections were incubated with a chromogranin A antibody to confirm the neuroendocrine phenotype of these cells. A significant correlation (P < 0.0001) between the total number of intensely stained VEGF-positive cells and chromogranin A-positive cells was found. A subpopulation of neuroendocrine-like cells also showed intense immunoreactivity for transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha). A correlation was observed (2p = 0.0092) between the intensity of VEGF and TGF-alpha immunostaining in carcinoma cells which were not of neuroendocrine differentiation. The presence of these two angiogenic factors may aid the neovascularisation of carcinomas and their increased expression in tumour-associated neuroendocrine cells may contribute to a more aggressive phenotype.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harper, M., Glynne-Jones, E., Goddard, L. et al. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in prostatic tumours and its relationship to neuroendocrine cells. Br J Cancer 74, 910–916 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1996.456
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1996.456
This article is cited by
-
Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPCa) increased the neighboring PCa chemoresistance via altering the PTHrP/p38/Hsp27/androgen receptor (AR)/p21 signals
Oncogene (2016)
-
Angiogenesis inhibitors in the treatment of prostate cancer
Journal of Hematology & Oncology (2010)
-
Expression of the xenobiotic- and reactive oxygen species-detoxifying enzymes, GST-pi, Cu/Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOD in the endocrine cells of colorectal cancer
International Journal of Colorectal Disease (2010)
-
Clinical implications of neuroendocrine differentiation in prostate cancer
Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2007)