Angiogenesis in Craniopharyngiomas: Microvascular Density and Tissue Expression of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Endostatin

Abstract

Craniopharyngiomas are benign tumors of the sellar region generally associated with endocrine abnormality and often locally aggressive. Several studies have demonstrated that angiogenesis or neovascularization plays an important role in tumoral growth. The microvascular density (MVD) of craniopharyngiomas was determined in tumor tissue samples from a reference neurosurgery center located in southern Brazil using immunohistochemical methods for two endothelial markers, CD34 and CD105 (endoglin). In addition, tissue expression was determined for an angiogenesis stimulatory factor and for one of its inhibitors, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endostatin, respectively. Endothelial cell immunoreactivity for CD34 and CD105 was observed scattered within the stroma. MVD determined using CD105 antigen was significantly lower than the results obtained by using CD34 antigen. There was no association between the two endothelial markers and tumor extension. The epithelial component showed different degrees of immunoreactivity for VEGF and endostatin in all samples analyzed. We were not able to establish a relationship between angiogenesis in craniopharyngiomas and tumor extension with the endothelial markers used in this study. The investigated vascularization stimulatory and inhibitory factors showed no relation with MVD. We believe that CD105 antigen can be a more specific endothelial marker for tumor angiogenesis than CD34 antigen.

Correlative evidence that tumor cell‐derived caveolin‐1 mediates angiogenesis in meningiomas

“…By contrast, it is only weakly expressed or absent in the vessels of normal tissues 32 . Thus it represents a powerful marker of neovascularization in various types of tumors 10,33–36 . CD105 was chosen for MVD assessment in this study since tumor MVD quantified through this marker has already been demonstrated to better reflect effective tumor neo‐angiogenesis in meningiomas in comparison to panendothelial markers, 8 such as CD34, which was used in the other correlative studies between MVD and tumor cell‐derived cav‐1 expression 3,4,28 …”

Indigofera suffruticosa: An Alternative Anticancer Therapy

“…Through the 8-cell stage the blastomeres of murine embryos are totipotent ( 46 – 48 ). The cell cycle of the two-cell embryos in the mouse has duration of 20–26 h with G 1 and S phases that last ∼1–2 and 6–7 h; these phases are followed by an extended G 2 phase (12–15 h) and M (mitosis) phase of 1–2 h ( 49 ). Many plant extracts have been used as a source of medicinal agents to cure urinary tract infections, cervicitis vaginitis, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory diseases, cutaneous problems, helmintic infections, parasitic protozoan diseases, and antitumor and antimicrobial ( 17 , 50 – 53 ).…”

Molecular pathology of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma: review and opportunities for practice

“…2,13,51,[55][56][57] One functional study using a corneal angiogenesis assay revealed that recurrent ACP samples had a significantly higher angiogenic potential than nonrecurrent ACP, but less than glioblastoma multiforme or arteriovenous malformations. 51 Imatinib-loaded microspheres reduced neovascularization in this model, but the use of this or other antiangiogenic approaches in patients has not been reported in the literature.…”