Angiogenesis and Bcl-2 protein expression in patients with endometrial carcinoma

Considering the particular importance of angiogenesis and tumor suppressor genes expression in solid tumors, angiogenesis and Bcl-2 protein expression were evaluated in order to specify their role in the biology of endometrial carcinoma. Clinical material comprised 66 patients (postmenopausal, aged 52 to 76 years) with endometrial adenocarcinoma. For evaluation of angiogenesis immunohistochemical method was applied using DAKO EPOS Anti-Human Von Willebrand Factor/HRP antibodies. Morphometric method was applied to count angiogenic points (microvessels + single endothelial cells), using a light microscope with morphometric appliance. Angiogenic points density (APD) was defined as the density of AP per square mm. Immunohistochemical staining for Bcl-2 cytosomic protein expression was performed using MoAb124 (dilution 1:80, Dako A/S, Denmark) monoclonal antibodies. The percentage of 10% positive cells was considered as Bcl-2 positive tissue expression. Positive cytoplasmic reaction of Bcl-2 in 51.3% of patients with Stage I endometrial cancer, and in 23.8% and 0% of patients with II and III FIGO stage, respectively, was observed. No relationship between Bcl-2 tissue cytoplasmatic expression and tumor grade was found. However, an inverse correlation between cytoplasmatic expression of Bcl-2 and FIGO stage was observed. The APD (angiogenic points density) was increasing with the clinical (FIGO) stage of endometrial cancer, but it was not observed in the case of tumor histologic grade. Bcl-2 expression and angiogenesis may be a useful parameter in evaluation of the biology of endometrial adenocarcinoma as the study conducted showed the influence of Bcl-2 protein expression upon angiogenesis.