Relationship between PTEN expression and microvessel density in hepatocellular carcinoma

    WANG Li, WANG Wenª²Liang, GUO Shuangª²Ping, ZHANG Yong, CHENG Shengª²Quan

    1Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital, 2Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¡¯an 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the relationship between PTEN expression and microvessel density (MVD) in hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Expressions of PTEN protein and MVD in 56 cases of HCC, 4 cases of hepatocirrhosis and 1 case of normal liver were examined by immunohisochemical SP method. RESULTS: The PTEN positive staining was mainly found in the nuclear. The total positive rate was 42.9% (24/56) and was lower than that in paracarcinoma, which was 100%. The positive rates of PTEN decreased with the progression of pathological grade. And so was the TNM class. We also found that the positive rate of PTEN with intrahepatic recurrence was lower. Of all the HCC, the average MVD was 40¡À11 and the microvessel counting in HCC was significantly correlated with the tumor capsule formation, intrahepatic recurrence and TNM class. An inverse correlation was found between the PTEN expression and MVD in HCC. CONCLUSION: The low PTEN expression and angiogenesis play important roles in HCC and are closely correlated with the differential grade of HCC. Loss of PTEN protein expression may play a certain role in the angiogenesis in HCC. ......