Objective: To study the expression of spleentyrosine kinase (Syk) gene in non--small--cell lung cancer and the relationship between Syk mRNA and microvessel density (MVD) in the tumor cells.
Materials and methods: The expression of Syk gene in 70 cases of lung tumor tissues, adjacent tissues, and normal lung tissues were examined with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT--PCR). The expression of MVD was examined with immunohistochemical streptavidin--biotin complex (SABC). The relation between them was analyzed.
Results: Syk mRNA expression rates were 5.7, 95.7, and 100% in tumor, adjacent lung cells, and normal lung cells, respectively. The expression rate in tumor cells was significantly lower compared with those in normal lung tissue and adjacent lung tissue (P < 0.05), expression rate among different pathologic types, differentiation and clinical stages did not reveal any statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). The positive rate of CD34 in tumor was higher than that in adjacent tissues and normal lung tissues. The expression of Syk mRNA and MVD were negatively correlated.
Conclusions: The lack of Syk mRNA expression in lung cancer play an important role in angiogenesis.