Significance of expression of Flt-4 in different histopathological grades of astrocytoma

AIM: To study the significance of expression of fms-like tyrosine kinase 4 (Flt-4) in different histopathological grades of astrocytoma. METHODS: The surgical specimens from 50 brain astrocytoma patients were stained immunohistochemically for examining Flt-4 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Intratumoral microvessel density (IMVD) was calculated by labeling the endothelial cells of the blood vessels within the tumor. RESULTS: Flt-4, VEGF expression were closely correlated with histopathological grades of astrocytoma. Flt-4 and VEGF expression were found in 52% (26/50), 60% (30/50) of tumors. A significant correlation was found between Flt-4 and VEGF expression (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Flt-4 is presented in human brain astrocytoma. Flt-4 expression is mainly expressed in vascular endothelial cells and some tumor cells. Flt-4 may not only come from autocrine secretion of vascular endothelial cells, but also from paracrine secretion of tumor cells. The expression of Flt-4 is significantly associated with histopathological grades of astrocytoma.