Immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 in canine simple mammary gland adenocarcinomas

The expression of 5 markers associated with angiogenesis, proliferation, and apoptosis was studied in 26 canine simple mammary gland adenocarcinomas (SMGAs). The adenocarcinomas were graded histologically, and tissue sections were immunohistochemically stained for the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), intra-tumor microvessel density, and tumor proliferation (PI) using antibodies against VEGF, VEGFR-2, von Willebrand factor, and Ki-67 antigen, respectively. Apoptotic indices (AI) were determined by an apoptosis assay. Markers VEGF and VEGFR-2 were detected in 96% and 100% of SMGAs, respectively. A high correlation between histologic grade and PI (r = 0.73), a moderate correlation between VEGF and histologic grade (r = 0.33), and between VEGF and PI (r = 0.42) were found. There was a significant difference in median PI among the 3 histologic grade groups (r < 0.05). Vascular endothelial growth factor may stimulate tumor cell proliferation through an autocrine loop, since VEGF and VEGFR-2 were expressed in most tumors.