Mast Cells Positive to Tryptase and c-Kit Receptor Expressing Cells Correlates with Angiogenesis in Gastric Cancer Patients Surgically Treated

Abstract

Background. Angiogenesis is a complex process involved in both growth and progression of several human and animal tumours. Tryptase is a serin protease stored in mast cells granules, which plays a role in tumour angiogenesis. Mast cells (MCs) can release tryptase following c-Kit receptor (c-KitR) activation. Method. In a series of 25 gastric cancer patients with stage T3N2-3M0 (by AJCC for Gastric Cancer 7th Edition), immunohistochemistry and image analysis methods were employed to evaluate in the tumour tissue the correlation between the number of mast cells positive to tryptase (MCPT), c-KitR expressing cells (c-KitR-EC), and microvascular density (MVD). Results. Data demonstrated a positive correlation between MCPT, c-KitR-EC, and MVD to each other. In tumour tissue the mean number of MCPT was 15, the mean number of c-KitR-EC was 20, and the mean number of MVD was 20. The Pearson test correlating MCPT and MVD, c-KitR-EC and MVD was significantly (r = 0.64, P = 0.001; r = 0.66, P = 0.041, resp.). Conclusion. In this pilot study, we suggest that MCPT and c-KitR-EC play a role in gastric cancer angiogenesis, so we think that several c-KitR or tryptase inhibitors such as gabexate mesilate and nafamostat mesilate might be evaluated in clinical trials as a new antiangiogenetic approach.

Correlations Between the Density of Tryptase Positive Mast Cells (DMCT) and that of New Blood Vessels (CD105+) in Patients with Gastric Cancer

“…But the lack of correlation between DMCin and DMVin, demonstrated by this study, may be seen as a sequel of previous studies which have analyzed the mean mast cell density and the mean new vessels density in the gastric wall as a hole, and not on separate, specific areas and depending upon the presence or the absence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Our finding that there are fewer new vessels within the advanced gastric tumors (at least IIB) than in the rest of the stomach wall, correlated with their recognized pro-angiogenic role in the growth and spread of the early stage tumors, as our previous work has demonstrated [3,11], suggests that probably other components of the complex tumoral microenvironment, as well as the rapid growth of advanced tumors, inhibit angiogenesis and limit the density of tumoral new vessels. Low density of tumoral vessels, in contrast with the increased angiogenesis in the rest of the gastric wall is, most probably, another indicator of tumoral aggressiveness, since the tumoral growth is so rapid that exceeds the angiogenesis.…”

Microvascular density and endothelial area correlate with Ki-67 proliferative index in surgically-treated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that angiogenesis and Ki-67-positive fraction are essential for the development and progression of tumours (27)(28)(29)(30)(31). In addition, numerous studies have suggested that increased tissue MVD and Ki-67 proliferation index, which were individually assessed, were correlated with a poor prognosis in PDACP (21,22).…”

Human mast cells and basophils—How are they similar how are they different?

“…In several tumors such as thyroid, gastric, pancreas, and bladder cancers, and Merkel cell carcinoma TAMCs always appear to be pro‐tumorigenic. Similarly, in several hematologic tumors, such as Hodgkin's and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma and plasmacytoma mast cells are associated with poor prognosis.…”