Objective: To explore the correlation between the expression of neuropilin-2 (NRP2) and tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis and clinicopathological parameters in gastric carcinoma (GC).
Methods: All GC, margin and normal tissues of 65 cases through surgical resection were retrospectively collected at our hospital and Tangshan People's Hospital from October 2011 to October 2013. The expressions of NRP2 in GC, tumor margin and normal gastric tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Lymphangiogenesis was marked with D2-40 monoclonal antibody and microlymphatic density (MLD) counted. And the morphology of lymphatic vessels was observed.
Results: A positive expression of NRP2 was found in GC (n = 40, 61.5%) and it was significantly higher than that in tumor margin (n = 32, 49.2%) and normal tissues (n = 3, 4.6%) (P < 0.05). But the counts of MLD in both GC (12 ± 5)/mm(2) and normal region (23 ± 6)/mm(2) were significantly lower than that of tumor margin region (44 ± 13)/mm(2) (P < 0.05). In addition, the morphologies of lymphatic vessels were different among 3 groups. Also NRP2 expression and MLD count were correlated with differentiation degree, infiltrative degree, lymphatic vessel invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM staging of GC (all P < 0.05). The expression intensity of NRP2 in tumor margin tissues was positively correlated with MLD (r = 0.517, P = 0.000).
Conclusions: The expression of NRP2 in GC may modulate lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis. And it may play a key role in tumorigenesis, progression and prognosis predicating in GC.