Expression Of VEGF, TSP-1 And The Correlation With MVD In Adrenocortical Tumors

Objective: To study the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in the adrenocortical tumors, and the relationship of VEGF, TSP-1 and microvessel density(MVD). Discuss the effect of VEGF and TSP-1 in the tumorigenesis, progression and biological behaviour of adrenocortical tumors .Methods: The expression of TSP-1, VEGF and MVD(evaluated by CD34) were detected by immunohistochemical staining in 13 adrenocortical carcinoma, 30 adrenocortical adenoma and 7 normal adrenal cortex samples. The correlation between the expression of VEGF, TSP-1 , MVD and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.Results: The VEGF was expressed in 13 adrenocortical carcinomas and 19/30 adrenocortical adenomas, normal adrenal cortex didn't expressed VEGF. There was no statistically significant correlation between VEGF expression and sex, age, blood pressure, but there was correlation between VEGF expression and tumor size. TSP-1 was expressed in 6/7 normal adrenal cortex and 2/13 adrenocortical carcinomas, there was no statistically significant correlation between TSP-1 expression and sex, age, blood pressure and tumor size. MVD of adrenocortical carcinomas(107.67±11.91) was higher than adrenocortical adenomas(46±21.31)and normal adrenal cortex (25.10±3.94) (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant correlation between MVD and sex, age and blood pressure. MVD was correlated with tumor size. There was positive correlation between VEGF and MVD(r_s=0.834, P<0.001), negative correlation between TSP-1 and MVD(r_s =-0.653, P< 0.001). The expression of VEGF was negative correlation with TSP-1(r_s =-0.389, P<0.001).Conclusions: MVD of adrenocortical carcinomas was higher than adrenocortical adenomas and normal adrenal cortex, and MVD correlated with adrenal cortical tumor size. The expression of VEGF was was higher in the adrenocortical carcinomas compared to adrenocortical adenomas and normal adrenal cortex, and promoted the angiogenesis of adrenocortical tumors. The expression of TSP-1 was lower in the adrenocortical carcinomas compared to normal adrenal cortex, TSP-1 inhibited the angiogenesis of adrenalcortical carcinomas. VEGF and TSP-1 maybe played an antagonistic action in the adrenocortical tumors, disequilibrium of this two factors played an important role in the angiogenesis of adrenocortical tumors.