摘要
Background Hypoxia-inducible factor （HIF） may play an important role in the process of tumorigenesis as well as tumor progression. The aim of this study was to compare the expression between HIF-1α and HIF-2α in tumor angiogenesis and the overall impact on patient prognosis in human non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Methods In the current work we compared the immunohistochemical expression of HIF-1α and HIF-21 in surgical specimens of 140 patients with NSCLC in a tissue microarray study. Relationships between HIF-α expression and clinicopathological or angiogenic factors, including prognosis, were analyzed. Results High HIF-1α and HIF-2α expression was noted in 49/140 （35.0%） and in 64/140 （45.7%） of the cases, respectively. There was no direct correlation between HIF-la and HIF-2α expression. Patients with advanced stage tumors had frequent high expression of HIF-2a （P=0.007）, and we also found a significant correlation between HIF-2α and T or N stage （P=0.030 and 0.043, respectively）. HIF-1α showed a marginal association with T stage （P=0.084）, which showed a higher expression in early stage tumors. A significant correlation （p=0.045） was noticed between HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） expression while the expression levels of thymidine phosphorylase （TP）, cyclooxygenase （COX）-2 and microvessel density （MVD） were significantly higher in high HIF-2a tumors （P=0.020, 0.004 and 0.046, respectively）. In addition, univariate analysis of overall survival demonstrated that HIF-2a expression, but not HIF-la, was related to poor outcome （P=-0.001） and it retained significant in multivariate analysis （P=0.036）. Conclusions Taken together, we conclude that HIF-1α and HIF-2α may differentially regulate the major angiogenic factors in different stages of the tumor process in NSCLC. HIF-2α may play a dominant role in tumor angiogenesis and appears to be of obvious value as a significant prognostic factor in NSCLC.
Background Hypoxia-inducible factor （HIF） may play an important role in the process of tumorigenesis as well as tumor progression. The aim of this study was to compare the expression between HIF-1α and HIF-2α in tumor angiogenesis and the overall impact on patient prognosis in human non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Methods In the current work we compared the immunohistochemical expression of HIF-1α and HIF-21 in surgical specimens of 140 patients with NSCLC in a tissue microarray study. Relationships between HIF-α expression and clinicopathological or angiogenic factors, including prognosis, were analyzed. Results High HIF-1α and HIF-2α expression was noted in 49/140 （35.0%） and in 64/140 （45.7%） of the cases, respectively. There was no direct correlation between HIF-la and HIF-2α expression. Patients with advanced stage tumors had frequent high expression of HIF-2a （P=0.007）, and we also found a significant correlation between HIF-2α and T or N stage （P=0.030 and 0.043, respectively）. HIF-1α showed a marginal association with T stage （P=0.084）, which showed a higher expression in early stage tumors. A significant correlation （p=0.045） was noticed between HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） expression while the expression levels of thymidine phosphorylase （TP）, cyclooxygenase （COX）-2 and microvessel density （MVD） were significantly higher in high HIF-2a tumors （P=0.020, 0.004 and 0.046, respectively）. In addition, univariate analysis of overall survival demonstrated that HIF-2a expression, but not HIF-la, was related to poor outcome （P=-0.001） and it retained significant in multivariate analysis （P=0.036）. Conclusions Taken together, we conclude that HIF-1α and HIF-2α may differentially regulate the major angiogenic factors in different stages of the tumor process in NSCLC. HIF-2α may play a dominant role in tumor angiogenesis and appears to be of obvious value as a significant prognostic factor in NSCLC.
