Abstract:

Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of regulated-upon activation normal T expressed and secreted (RANTES) and microvascular density (MVD) in hepatocarcinoma (PHC) tissues, and explore its clinical significance. Methods The samples of PHC tissues and adjacent tissues in 47 patients were collected. The expression of RANTES in tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry, and MVD was calculated. The relationship among the expression of RANTES, MVD and clinicopathological features was analysed. Results The positive expression rate and expression score of RANTES in PHC tissues were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues (55.32% vs 19.15%, P<0.01; 1.89±1.77 vs 0.77±1.29, P<0.01). MVD in PHC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues (67.30±13.68 vs 37.20±10.58, P<0.01). MVD of PHC tissues in patients with metastasis was significantly higher than that in patients without metastasis [(73.50±13.77)/HP vs (64.10±12.68)/HP, P<0.05], while there were no correlations among MVD, expression of RANTES and the other clinicopathological features of PHC. MVD was positively correlated with the expression score of RANTES in PHC tissues (r=0.386, P<0.05). Conclusion RANTES might be closely related to the angiogenesis in PHC.

Key words: primary hepatocarcinoma, microvascular density, chemokines, immunohistochemistry