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The Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Its Receptors in Congenital Bronchopulmonary Cystic Malformations
European Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 07/03/2012
Weber SC et al. – The data suggest a possible role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)–VEGFR2 interaction in the pathogenesis of congenital bronchopulmonary cystic malformations. However, VEGFR2 does not represent a suitable histochemical marker to distinguish between BPS and congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM).
Methods- Lung biopsy specimens obtained from infants who had undergone surgery for BPS (n = 4) or CCAM (n = 5) within the first month of life and normal lung autopsy samples (n = 4) serving as controls were investigated immunohistochemically for the protein expression levels of VEGF and its corresponding receptors.
- VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3) staining was detected in CCAM and BPS specimens, as well as in control samples.
- VEGFR2 expression increased from controls to CCAM and from CCAM to BPS, the difference between controls and BPS being significant.
- The expression of VEGF, VEGFR1, and VEGFR3 was similar among the three groups.
- Consistent with a possible involvement of VEGFR2 in altered vasculogenesis-bronchiogenesis interaction, its expression was predominantly found in bronchial but not alveolar regions.