Objective: To explore the expression of human heparanase mRNA and its relationship with the clinicopathological characteristics and angiogenesis and its possible mechanism in gastric carcinomas.
Methods: Expression of heparanase mRNA in gastric cancerous tissues and its corresponding adjacent tissues were detected by RT-PCR in forty-seven patients. Expression of c-met protein and microvessel density (MVD) were examined by immunohistochemcal staining.
Results: Expression of heparanse mRNA was significantly higher in gastric cancerous tissues than in its adjacent tissues (74.5% vs. 19.1%, P < 0.01). MVD was significantly higher in heparanase positive group than its counterpart (51 +/- 15 vs. 31 +/- 10, P < 0.01). Expression of heparanase mRNA was correlated with expression of c-met (r = 0.714, P < 0.01). The positive rate of heparanse expression in gastric carcinomas were correlated with tumor diameter, invasive depth, regional lymph nodes metastasis and TNM stage, whereas there were no relation with gender, age, tumor differentiation and remote metastasis of the patient.
Conclusion: Increased heparanase expression contributes to metastasis and angiogenesis in gastric cancer. Heparanase mRNA expression correlates with poor clinicopathologic characteristics in its prognosis. C-met is correlated with heparanase expression.