Heparanase expression is an independent prognostic factor in patients with invasive cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: Endoglycosidic heparanase degrades heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans, and may be important in cancer invasion and metastasis, although its expression in human cervical cancer has not been characterized. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Heparanase association with clinicopathological features related to prognostic significance was examined in patients presenting with invasive cervical cancer. Gene expression of heparanase was assessed by RT-PCR in 10 normal cervix and 92 invasive cervical cancer samples. RESULTS: Heparanase mRNA expression was not detected in any of the normal cervix specimens, but was significantly higher in advanced-stage tumors (P = 0.026). In cases treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, heparanase mRNA expression was significantly higher in tumors exhibiting lymph-vascular space invasion (P = 0.01). A significant relationship was found between microvessel counts and heparanase mRNA expression (P = 0.035). The disease-free and overall survival rates of patients exhibiting heparanase mRNA expression were significantly lower than those of patients lacking heparanase mRNA expression (P = 0.019 and 0.017, respectively). Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that heparanase mRNA expression was an independent prognostic factor for both disease-free and overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence that heparanase expression can serve as an indicator of aggressive potential and poor prognosis in cervical cancer. Consequently, heparanase inhibitor will be a novel candidate for therapeutic intervention in this disease.     

肝素酶在大肠癌转移中的作用

目的探讨乙酰肝素酶在大肠癌中的表达搜意义。方法应用原位杂交方法检测乙酰肝素酶mRNA在60例大肠癌组织中的定位及表达。结果60例大肠癌组织中,乙酰肝素酶mRNA阳性表达31例（51．66％）。34例大肠癌伴淋巴结转移者,其原发灶内乙酰肝素酶mRNA表达明显高于无转移组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。乙酰肝素酶mRNA表达与大肠癌组织浸润深度、淋巴结转移有关。结论乙酰肝素酶可能在大肠癌的生长、浸润和转移中起一定作用。     

乙酰肝素酶与大肠癌浸润、转移和血管生成的相关性

 目的 探讨乙酰肝素酶与大肠癌浸润、转移和血管生成之间的关系。方法 应用原位杂交方法检测乙酰肝素酶mRNA在95例大肠癌组织中的定位及表达。并用免疫组化方法对全部标本进行CDl05染色，记数肿瘤微血管密度（microvessel density，MVD），分析乙酰肝素酶mRNA表达与大肠癌浸润、转移和MVD之间的关系。结果 95例大肠癌组织中，乙酰肝素酶mRNA阳性表达49例（51．57％），MVD平均值为（72．1±20．6）；阴性表达46例（48．42％），MVD平均值为（41．3±12．4），差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。乙酰肝素酶tuRNA表达与大肠癌组织浸润深度、淋巴结转移及MVD有关（P〈0．05）。结论 乙酰肝素酶可促进大肠癌的浸润、转移和血管生成，可作为反映大肠癌生物学行为的客观指标。     

乙酰肝素酶mRNA表达和血管生成与胃癌发展的关系

目的　探讨乙酰肝素酶mRNA表达状况和血管生成与胃癌发展的关系。方法　应用原位杂交技术 ,检测 5 2例胃癌组织中乙酰肝素酶mRNA的表达情况 ,并用免疫组化法对全部标本用CD34抗体进行肿瘤血管内皮染色 ,计数肿瘤微血管密度 (MVD) ,分析乙酰肝素酶mRNA与MVD及其与胃癌组织分化程度、浸润深度、淋巴结转移和器官转移的关系。结果　胃癌组织乙酰肝素酶mRNA阳性表达 2 5例 (4 8.1% ) ,MVD平均值为 73.2± 2 2 .8;阴性表达 2 7例 (5 1.9% ) ,MVD平均值为 4 4 .8±11.9,两者之间差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 0 1)。乙酰肝素酶mRNA表达和MVD与胃癌组织浸润深度、淋巴结转移有关 (P <0 .0 0 5 )。结论　乙酰肝素酶与胃癌的血管生成密切相关 ,对胃癌的生长和浸润转移有促进作用 ,乙酰肝素酶可作为反映胃癌生物学行为的客观指标。     

Heparanase promotes bone destruction and invasiveness in prostate cancer

Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that plays an important role in angiogenesis and metastasis of cancer. Herein we evaluate the effect of heparanase overexpression on invasiveness and bone destruction in prostate cancer bone metastases. The human prostate cancer cell line PC-3 was stably transfected with a plasmid containing the cDNA for human heparanase or with the vector alone as a control. Overexpression of heparanase did not affect the growth of PC-3 cells, but did promote invasiveness of the cells in an in vitro assay. Both cell types were injected into the tibias of nude mice. Four weeks later, the mice were examined radiologically prior to sacrifice and samples of leg tissue were taken to investigate bone destruction and metastasis. Mice injected with PC-3 cells overexpressing heparanase had more severe bone destruction and larger, more invasive, tumors. These results demonstrate that heparanase overexpression can facilitate tumor invasion and accelerate bone destruction caused by prostate cancer bone metastasis.     

乙酰肝素酶mRNA在大肠癌中的表达及意义

目的:探讨乙酰肝素酶在大肠癌中的表达及意义.方法:应用原位杂交方法检测乙酰肝素酶mRNA在45例大肠癌组织中的定位及表达.结果:45例大肠癌组织中,乙酰肝素酶mRNA阳性表达22例(48.88%).26例大肠癌伴淋巴结转移者,其原发灶内乙酰肝素酶mRNA表达明显高于无转移组,有显著差异(P＜0.01).乙酰肝素酶mRNA表达与大肠癌组织浸润深度、淋巴结转移有关.结论:乙酰肝素酶可能在大肠癌的生长、浸润和转移中起一定的作用.     

Heparanase induces VEGF C and facilitates tumor lymphangiogenesis

Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that specifically cleaves heparan sulfate side chains, a class of glycosaminoglycans abundantly present in the extracellular matrix and on the cell surface. Heparanase activity is strongly implicated in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis attributed to remodeling of the subepithelial and subendothelial basement membranes. We hypothesized that similar to its proangiogenic capacity, heparanase is also engaged in lymphangiogenesis and utilized the D2-40 monoclonal antibody to study lymphangiogenesis in tumor specimens obtained from 65 head and neck carcinoma patients. Lymphatic density was analyzed for association with clinical parameters and heparanase staining. We provide evidence that lymphatic vessel density (LVD) correlates with head and neck lymph node metastasis (N-stage, p = 0.007) and inversely correlates with tumor cell differentiation (p = 0.007). Notably, heparanase staining correlated with LVD (p = 0.04) and, moreover, with VEGF C levels (p = 0.01). We further demonstrate that heparanase overexpression by epidermoid, breast, melanoma and prostate carcinoma cells induces a 3- to 5-fold elevation in VEGF C expression in vitro and facilitates tumor xenograft lymphangiogenesis in vivo, whereas heparanase gene silencing was associated with decreased VEGF C levels. These findings suggest that heparanase plays a unique dual role in tumor metastasis, facilitating tumor cell invasiveness and inducing VEGF C expression, thereby increasing the density of lymphatic vessels that mobilize metastatic cells.     

乙酰肝素酶基因表达与胃癌临床病理特点的关系

目的探讨乙酰肝素酶基因(HPAmRNA)在胃癌中的表达及其与临床病理因素之间的相互关系。方法选用43例胃癌组织和10例癌旁正常胃组织,用逆转录聚合酶链反应(RTPCR)检测标本中HPAmRNA的表达,并结合患者临床病理指标进行分析。结果43例胃癌中,29例HPAmRNA表达阳性,其阳性率显著高于癌旁正常胃组织(P=0.013)。HPAmRNA的表达与TNM分期、有无浆膜浸润、淋巴结转移、远处转移以及与肿瘤大小有相关性(P<0.05);与患者年龄、性别、肿瘤所在部位、肿瘤的Borrmann分型、组织学类型、分化程度、腹膜转移和肝转移无相关性(P>0.05)。结论HPAmRNA阳性表达的胃癌有较高的侵袭转移性,HPA可能是胃癌侵袭转移中的一个重要酶,可能与胃癌的淋巴结转移有关。     

乙酰肝素酶mRNA在肝癌组织中的表达及其临床意义

目的　探讨乙酰肝素酶 (HPSE)mRNA在肝癌组织中的表达及其与肝癌临床病理特征和血管生成的关系。方法　以逆转录 -聚合酶链反应 (RT PCR)检测HPSEmRNA在 5 1例原发性肝细胞癌组织中的表达 ,以Ⅷ因子抗体免疫组织化学染色检测肝癌组织的微血管密度 (MVD)。结果　 5 1例肝癌组织中有 2 5例 (4 9.0 % )HPSEmRNA表达阳性。直径≥ 3cm的肝癌组织中 ,HPSE的表达阳性率(6 3.6 % ,2 1/33)明显高于直径 <3cm的肝癌组织 (2 2 .2 % ,4 /18) ,差异有非常显著性 (P <0 .0 1)。高侵袭性肝癌组织中 ,HPSE表达阳性率 (70 .0 % ,14 /2 0 )明显高于中等侵袭性 (4 6 .7% ,7/15 )和低侵袭性肝癌组织 (2 5 .0 % ,4 /16 ;P <0 .0 5 )。微血管密度高的肝癌组织中HPSE表达阳性率 (6 2 .5 % ,2 0 /32 )明显高于微血管密度低的肝癌组织 (2 6 .3% ,5 /19;P <0 .0 5 )。结论　HPSEmRNA表达对肝癌的生长、侵袭和血管生成具有重要作用。     

乙酰肝素酶在乳腺癌侵袭转移中的作用及调控机制*

乙酰肝素酶（Heparanase ,HPSE）是目前发现的哺乳动物细胞中唯一能降解细胞外基质和基底膜中硫酸肝素蛋白多糖侧链—硫酸乙酰肝素的内源性糖苷酶,是目前抗肿瘤转移的理想靶点。HPSE在乳腺癌中常有高表达,并与肿瘤大小和淋巴结转移等密切相关。体外研究表明,乳腺癌细胞中HPSE启动子活性增高,转染HPSE的乳腺癌细胞在体内成瘤后,其肿瘤体积、重量、微血管密度以及癌细胞存活时间均明显高于阴性对照组。应用反义核酸技术或RNA干扰技术封闭或沉默HPSE基因表达后,乳腺癌细胞黏附和侵袭能力显著降低,表明HPSE在乳腺癌侵袭转移中发挥极其重要的作用。HPSE在乳腺癌侵袭转移中受多种机制调控,主要有：雌激素与其受体结合后作用于HPSE基因特定区域,从而提高HPSE转录活性,增强其基因和蛋白的表达;HPSE可使破骨细胞刺激因子产生增加,从而导致骨质溶解破坏,为乳腺癌骨转移奠定基础;HPSE诱导循环淋巴细胞产生刺激因子,从而促进乳腺癌的侵袭转移。此外,HPSE基因还受p53基因、ETS 基因、EGR 1 基因、PI-88因子、COX-2 等的调控。本文就HPSE在乳腺癌中的表达状况、在侵袭转移中的作用及调控机制进行综述。     

Expression of three extracellular matrix degradative enzymes in bladder cancer

The relationship between expression of extracellular matrix degradative enzymes, angiogenesis and survival of multistage bladder cancer was determined. Expression of 3 extracellular matrix degradative enzymes (metalloproteinase-2, -9 and heparanase) and microvessel formation were examined in 40 resected bladder cancer specimens by immunohistostochemic staining, and then the association of the enzyme expression with angiogenesis and various stages of cancer was investigated. Heparanase protein expression in muscular invasive or lymph-node metastatic cancer was significantly higher than in superficial or nonmetastatic cancer, respectively (69% vs. 8%, p < 0.001, and 80% vs. 40%, p = 0.028, respectively). Interestingly, heparanase was expressed at much higher levels than matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9. The mean microvessel count in cancers with heparanase expression was significantly higher than that in cancers without heparanase expression (32.3 +/- 18.2 vs. 5.5 +/- 6.1, p = 0.0008). The microvessel formation was not associated with the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9. The cancer-specific and overall survival rates of patients with heparanase expression were significantly lower than those of patients without it (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0008, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that heparanase expression was a significantly independent prognostic factor for both cancer-specific (p = 0.0047) and overall survival (p = 0.0200). Our study suggested that heparanase plays important roles in invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis of bladder cancer, and thus, this molecule could be a new molecule to inhibit invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis of bladder cancer. Moreover, our results indicate that expression of heparanase could be a new prognostic factor of this disease.     

乙酰肝素酶在胆囊癌中的表达及临床意义

目的：探讨乙酰肝素酶（heparanase,Hpa）在胆囊癌中的表达及对预后的影响。方法：用免疫组化方法检测38例手术切除的胆囊癌标本中Hpa的表达,并分析其与临床病理特征的关系。结果：Hpa在胆囊癌,癌旁组织以及正常胆囊黏膜组织中表达率分别为63．2％,23．6％和0（P〉0．05）。单因素分析显示Hpa的表达增高与肿瘤分期晚（P=0．007）,淋巴结转移（P=0．040）以及肿瘤浸润深度（P=0．016）密切相关。高表达Hpa的患者3年生存率较低表达患者明显降低（20．8％VS50．0％,P=0．001）。多因素分析显示Hpa的表达不是胆囊癌预后的独立因素（P〉0．05）。结论：Hpa在胆囊癌中表达增高,并与患者预后呈负相关。Hpa的表达增高可以部分解释胆囊癌富于浸润和转移的生物学行为。     

Expression of heparanase in renal cell carcinomas: implications for tumor invasion and prognosis

PURPOSE: Heparanase activity has been detected in many malignant tumors, showing a correlation with the metastatic potential. The present study was undertaken to investigate the expression of heparanase and its prognostic significance in renal cell carcinomas (RCC). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Nineteen RCCs and 6 nonneoplastic renal tissues were analyzed for heparanase mRNA expression by real-time PCR. Heparanase protein expression was semiquantitatively investigated by immunohistochemistry in 70 RCCs. Involvement of heparanase in the invasiveness of RCC cell lines, 786-O and Caki-2 cells, was examined by down-regulating the gene expression with small interfering RNA (siRNA) using the Matrigel invasion assay. RESULTS: The expression level of heparanase mRNA was significantly higher in clear cell RCCs than in papillary RCCs, chromophobe RCCs, and nonneoplastic renal tissues. Heparanase was predominantly immunolocalized to cell surface and cytoplasm of clear cell RCCs and mean expression levels of heparanase were significantly higher in clear cell RCCs than in papillary and chromophobe RCCs. The protein expression levels were positively correlated with primary tumor stage, distant metastasis, and histologic grade. Targeting of heparanase mRNA expression in 786-O and Caki-2 cells with siRNA down-regulated the mRNA expression and inhibited the Matrigel invasion by these cells, whereas nonsilencing siRNA showed no effect. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that elevated heparanase expression was a significant and an independent predictor of disease-specific survival (odds ratio, 8.814; P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that heparanase plays an important role in invasion and metastasis and silencing of the gene might be a potential therapeutic target in clear cell RCCs.     

Impact of prospero homeobox-1 on tumor cell behavior and prognosis in colorectal cancer

Prospero homeobox 1 (PROX1) is up-regulated in colorectal cancer and plays an oncogenic role. In the present study, we sought to investigate the impact of PROX1 on oncogenic processes and to assess the prognostic value of PROX1 expression in colorectal cancer. A small interfering RNA or pcDNA6-myc vector was used to control PROX1 gene expression in colorectal cancer DLD1 and SW480 cell lines. The expression of PROX1 in colorectal cancer tissues was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and tumor cell proliferation were assessed by analyzing the expression of respective markers of these phenomena, CD34, D2-40, and Ki-67 after immunohistochemical staining. PROX1 knockdown decreased both umbilical vein endothelial cell invasion and tube formation, down-regulated the expression of VEGF-A and HIF-1α, and up-regulated the expression of angiostatin. Lymphatic endothelial cell invasion and tube formation as well as the expression of VEGF-C were also suppressed by PROX1 knockdown. PROX1 knockdown suppressed tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In contrast, PROX1 overexpression enhanced tumor cell angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Levels of phosphorylated Akt, GSK3β, and MAPK were decreased by PROX1 knockdown and increased by PROX1 overexpression. PROX1 expression positively correlated with tumor size, extent of differentiation, lymphovascular invasion, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, stage, and poor survival. The mean microvessel density and Ki-67 labeling index values of PROX1-positive tumors were significantly higher than those of PROX1-negative tumors. However, there was no significant correlation between PROX1 expression and lymphatic vessel density. These results indicate that PROX1 influences tumor progression in colorectal cancer by regulating angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation.     

Heparanase promotes growth, angiogenesis and survival of primary breast tumors

Despite great strides toward diagnosis and therapy, breast cancer remains a most threatening disease in its incidence, morbidity and mortality; therefore, additional knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms contributing to breast cancer progression, as well as new targets for drug discovery are highly needed. Heparanase is the predominant enzyme involved in cleavage of heparan sulfate, the main polysaccharide component of the extracellular matrix. Experimental and clinical data indicate that heparanase plays important roles in cancer metastasis and angiogenesis. In breast carcinoma patients, heparanase expression correlates with the metastatic potential of the tumor. The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of heparanase in local growth and angiogenesis of primary breast tumors. MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells were stable transfected with the human heparanase (H-hpa) cDNA, or empty vector (mock), and injected into the mammary pad of nude mice. MRI was applied to monitor progression of tumor growth and angiogenesis. We demonstrate that tumors produced by cells overexpressing heparanase grew faster and were 7-fold larger than tumors produced by mock transfected cells. This enhanced growth was accompanied by increased tumor vascularization and a higher degree of vessel maturation. Histological examination ascribed the differences in tumor growth to heparanase-stimulated cell proliferation and survival. In-vitro experiments reinforced heparanase role as a survival factor under stress conditions. Moreover, H-hpa tumor cells infiltrate into the adjacent stroma, promoting formation of highly vascularized fibrous bands. Our results emphasize the significance and clarify the involvement of heparanase in primary breast cancer progression by generating a supportive microenvironment that promotes tumor growth, angiogenesis and survival.     

Heparanase up-regulation in tongue cancer: tissue and saliva analysis

BACKGROUND: Heparanase up-regulation has been correlated with reduced postoperative survival in various cancers. METHODS: Heparanase expression was analyzed in 60 consenting tongue (mobile) cancer patients by means of immunohistochemistry. Heparanase levels were also analyzed in the saliva of both healthy controls and tongue cancer patients using a novel heparanase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. RESULTS: Heparanase staining was positive (>0) in 92% and negative (=0) in 8% of the tumors and staining intensity correlated with tumor size and tumor stage. Moreover, the survival probability of patients negative for heparanase (=0) at 60 months was 100%, compared with only 41% for patients positive for heparanase (>0), suggesting that heparanase may serve as a prognostic factor for this malignancy and an attractive target for anticancer drug development. Heparanase was detected in the saliva of healthy controls and the mean concentration was determined as 119 +/- 37 pg/mL. Importantly, a nearly 3-fold increase of heparanase levels was detected in saliva collected from tongue cancer patients (334 +/- 69 pg/mL), a difference that is statistically highly significant (P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support heparanase up-regulation in tongue cancer and raise the possibility of using this simple test as a diagnostic tool to monitor tongue cancer progression and response to treatment.     

EphA2蛋白表达与结直肠癌浸润性及微血管生成的关系

目的：探讨酪氨酸蛋白激酶受体EphA2表达与大肠癌浸润及其与大肠癌微血管生成之间的关系。方法：应用免疫组化方法检测70例大肠癌标本和相应正常大肠黏膜组织中EphA2蛋白的表达情况,分析E-phA2表达与大肠癌临床病理学因素及微血管生成之间的关系。结果：EphA2蛋白在癌组织中的表达明显高于相应正常大肠黏膜组织（P〈0.001）。EphA2蛋白高表达与癌分化程度、生长方式、浸润深度和肿瘤体积相关（P〈0.05）,而与患者的年龄、性别、淋巴结和血行性转移无关（P〉0.05）。免疫组化结果还发现,肿瘤组织内微血管内皮细胞也有EphA2受体蛋白表达。CD34染色后大肠癌的微血管密度（microvessel density,MVD）与EphA2表达水平有显著相关,EphA2阳性表达强度高的肿瘤区域有较高的微血管密度。结论：E-phA2蛋白的高表达与大肠癌的发生和浸润有关。