Secondary lymphoid-tissue chemokine and CCR7 in it's relation with lymphangiogenesis of pancreatic adenocarcionoma

Abstract

Objective To study the expression of secondary lymphoid-tissue chemokine (SLC)、 CCR7 and its correlation with clinical pathology and lymphangiogenesis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC). Methods The tissue specimens including PAC, the cancerous peripheral tissues, the normal pancreatic tissues and peripheral lymph nodes were obtained from 30 patients with PAC. The expressions of SLC and CCR7 in these tissues were assayed by immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). MIND marked by VEGFR-3 was detected by morphometric analysis, and the relationship between MLND and clinical pathology of PAC was analyzed. Results In all the specimens, the positive rates of SLC protein in PAC, the cancerous peripheral tissues, the normal pancreatic tissues and peripheral lymph nodes were respectively 16. 7%, 43. 3%, 76. 7% and 46. 6%. The positive rates of CCR7 protein in PAC, the cancerous peripheral tissues, the normal pancreatic tissues and peripheral lymph nodes were respectively 76. 7%, 66. 7%, 30. 0% and 70. 0%. The results of RT-PCR and fluorescence quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the expression levels of CCR7 mRNA in PAC tissues, the cancerous peripheral tissues and peripheral lymph nodes were higher than that in the normal pancreatic tissues ( P 0. 05 ). There was 23 specimens that the CCR7 protein was positive, and among these specimens the MIND was higher than that in negative group of CCR7 protein (P = 0.004). Conclusions The expression of SLC was not related to lymphatic metastasis and TNM stages of PAC. The expression of CCR7 was significantly associated with lymphatic metastasis and TNM stages of PAC, and the high expression of CCR7 in PAC tissues was significantly associated with lymphangiogenesis of PAC. Key words: Pancreatic neoplasms; Chemotactic factors; Lymphangiogenesis