The increased number of tumor-associated macrophage is associated with overexpression of VEGF-C, plays an important role in Kazakh ESCC invasion and metastasis

Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) play an important role in the growth, progression, and metastasis of tumors. The distribution of TAMs in Kazakh esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is not determined. We aimed to investigate the role of TAMs in the occurrence and progression of Kazakh ESCC. CD163 was used as the TAM marker, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) counts were used to quantify the density of TAMs in tumor nest and surrounding stroma. IHC staining was used to evaluate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) in Kazakh ESCC and cancer adjacent normal (CAN) tissues. The density of TAMs in Kazakh ESCCs tumor nest and stromal was significantly higher than that in CAN tissues. The increased number of CD163-positive TAMs in tumor nest and tumor stromal was positively associated with Kazakh ESCC lymph node metastasis and clinical stage progression. Meanwhile, the expression of VEGF-C in Kazakh ESCCs was significantly higher than that in CAN tissues. Overexpression of VEGF-C in Kazakh ESCCs was significantly associated with gender, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and tumor clinical stage. The increased number of TAMs, either in the tumor nests or tumor stroma was positively correlated with the overexpression of VEGF-C, which may promote lymphangiogenesis and play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of Kazakh ESCC. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

肿瘤相关巨噬细胞（TAMs）在肿瘤的生长、进展和转移中起重要作用。哈萨克族食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）中TAMs的分布情况尚未确定。我们旨在研究TAMs在哈萨克族ESCC发生和进展中的作用。以CD163作为TAM标志物，采用免疫组织化学（IHC）计数来量化肿瘤巢及周围间质中TAMs的密度。采用免疫组织化学染色评估血管内皮生长因子C（VEGF - C）在哈萨克族ESCC和癌旁正常（CAN）组织中的表达。哈萨克族ESCC肿瘤巢和间质中TAMs的密度显著高于CAN组织。肿瘤巢和肿瘤间质中CD163阳性TAMs数量的增加与哈萨克族ESCC淋巴结转移和临床分期进展呈正相关。同时，哈萨克族ESCC中VEGF - C的表达显著高于CAN组织。哈萨克族ESCC中VEGF - C的过表达与性别、肿瘤浸润深度、淋巴结转移和肿瘤临床分期显著相关。肿瘤巢或肿瘤间质中TAMs数量的增加与VEGF - C的过表达呈正相关，这可能促进淋巴管生成，并在哈萨克族ESCC的侵袭和转移中起重要作用。（C）2016爱思唯尔公司。保留所有权利。