Analysis of p53 and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in human gallbladder carcinoma for the determination of tumor vascularity

AIM:To examine the expression of p53 and vascularendothelial growth factor(VEGF)as well as microvesselcount(MVC)and to investigate the role of VEGF asan angiogenic marker and the possible role of p53 inthe regulation of angiogenesis in human gallbladdercarcinoma.METHODS:Surgically resected specimensof 49 gallbladder carcinomas were studied byimmunohistochemical staining for p53 protein,VEGF,andfactor Ⅷ-related antigen.VEGF expression and mutantp53 expression were then correlated with Nevin stage,differentiation grade,MVC,and lymph node metastasis.RESULTS:Positive p53 protein and VEGF expressionswere found in 61.2% and 63.3% of tumors,respectively.p53 and VEGF staining status was identical in 55.1%of tumors.The Nevin staging of p53-or VEGF-positivetumors was significantly later than that of negativetumors.The MVC in p53-or VEGF-positive tumorswas significantly higher than that in negative tumors,and MVC in both p53-and VEGF-negative tumors wassignificantly lower than that in the other subgroups.CONCLUSION:Our findings suggest that p53-VEGFpathway can regulate tumor angiogenesis in humangallbladder carcinoma.Combined analysis of p53 andVEGF expression might be useful for predicting thetumor vascularity of gallbladder cancer.