Correlative studies on bFGF mRNA and MMP-9 mRNA expressions with microvascular density, progression, and prognosis of gastric carcinomas

AIM: To investigate the mRNA expressions of bFGF and MMP-9 in gastric carcinomas so as to reveal their correlations with tumor microvascular density (MVD), invasion, metastasis, and prognosis. METHODS: In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques were used to detect the expressions of bFGFmRNA and MMP-9mRNA and the proteins of CD34 in 105 specimens of gastric carcinomas. RESULTS: In situ hybridization study showed that positive rates of bFGF mRNA and MMP-9mRNA expressions were 60.95% and 59.19%; the mean MVD was 46.09+/-11.52 and 43.75+/-13.41, respectively in piece/0.72 mm(2) in tumors with bFGFmRNA and MMP-9mRNA positive expressions, which were significantly higher than those with negative expression (29.41+/-12.47; 33.45+/-13.92 piece/0.72 mm(2), respectively). The positive expression rates of bFGFmRNA and MMP-9mRNA were correlated to the tumor invasion depth (r(s) = 0.211, P = 0.031; r(s) = 0.335, P = 0.001), growing pattern (r(s) = 0.324, P = 0.001; r(s) = 0.267, P = 0.006), vessel invasion (r(s) = 0.579, P = 0.001; r(s) = 0.209, P = 0.032), lymph node metastasis (r(s) = 0.405, P = 0.001; r(s) = 0.343, P = 0.001) and distant metastasis (r(s) = 0.474, P = 0.001; r(s) = 0.468, P = 0.001), but not correlated to tumor type (r(s) = 0.134, P = 0.173; r(s) = 0.103, P = 0.145) and differentiations (r(s) = 0.096, P = 0.332; r(s) = 0.102, P = 0.298). The mean MVD was much higher in the tumors with infiltrating growth at stage T(3)-T(4), with vessel invasion, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis than those with expanding growth type (t = 10.105, P = 0.001) at stage T(1)-T(2) (t = 5.961, P = 0.001), with non-vessel invasion (t = 7.394, P = 0.001), non-lymph node metastasis (t = 3.819, P = 0.01) and non-distant metastasis (t = 10.578, P = 0.001). Positive correlation was observed between MVD and the expressions of bFGFmRNA and MMP-9mRNA (t = 3.207, P = 0.002; t = 7.035, P = 0.001, respectively). The mean survival time and 5-year survival rate were lower in cases with MVD over 39.5 and the positive expressions of bFGFmRNA and MMP-9mRNA than those with MVD less than 39.5 and the negative expressions of bFGFmRNA and MMP-9mRNA. CONCLUSION: bFGF and MMP-9 promote the angiogenesis of the gastric cancers. Detection of the expressions of bFGF and MMP-9 can serve as a useful index to determine the angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and prognosis of gastric cancers.