The Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Its Receptors in Congenital Bronchopulmonary Cystic Malformations

Sven C. Weber; Hannes Sallmon; Nanette Sarioglu; Petra Degenhardt; Christoph Bührer; Mario Rüdiger; Petra Koehne

doi:10.1055/s-0032-1308692

European Journal of Pediatric Surgery, Table of Contents

Eur J Pediatr Surg 2012; 22(02): 127-132
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1308692

Original Article

Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

The Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Its Receptors in Congenital Bronchopulmonary Cystic Malformations

Sven C. Weber

¹Department of Neonatology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

^*These authors contributed equally

,

Hannes Sallmon

¹Department of Neonatology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

^*These authors contributed equally

,

Nanette Sarioglu

²Department of Pathology, Paidopathology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

,

Petra Degenhardt

³Department of Pediatric Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

,

Christoph Bührer

¹Department of Neonatology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

,

Mario Rüdiger

⁴Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Universitäts-Kinder-Frauen-Zentrum, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany

,

Petra Koehne

¹Department of Neonatology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Background Bronchopulmonary sequestration (BPS) and congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) represent rare hamartomatous abnormalities of the lung. Dysregulation of cytokines that influence pulmonary vasculogenesis and epithelial growth, both known to be altered in BPS and CCAM, may play a role in their pathogenesis.

Objective We hypothesized that expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or its receptors might be altered in CCAM and BPS, possibly distinguishing CCAM from BPS, or from controls.

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.

Results 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.

Conclusions The data suggest a possible role of 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 CCAM.

Keywords

congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation - bronchopulmonary sequestration - vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2

Full Text

References

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