Alterations of high endothelial venules in primary and metastatic tumors are correlated with lymph node metastasis of oral and pharyngeal carcinoma
Alterations of high endothelial venules in primary and metastatic tumors are correlated with lymph node metastasis of oral and pharyngeal carcinoma
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原发性和转移性肿瘤高内皮微静脉的改变与口腔癌和咽癌的淋巴结转移相关
DOI：
10.4161/cbt.27328
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发表时间：
2014-03-01
影响因子：
3.6
通讯作者：
Shang, Zheng-Jun
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Shen, Hui;Wang, Xiang;Shang, Zheng-Jun
高内皮微静脉(HEV)是位于淋巴结旁皮质区域的一种特殊血管，它控制着淋巴细胞的募集。淋巴转移类似于循环中的淋巴细胞归巢到淋巴结，但HEV在口腔和咽鳞状细胞癌(OPSCC)进展中的作用尚不清楚。在本研究中，我们发现HEV在OPSCC进展过程中经历了一系列的形态和功能变化，并与LN转移相关。在73个转移性淋巴结中，9例癌栓位于HEV附近或仅位于血管外，而不位于淋巴管内。接近HEV的肿瘤细胞缝隙连接减少或消失，在肿瘤细胞附着HEV的接触点上留有缝隙。在转移性淋巴结中，HEV的内皮细胞增殖率最高。L-选择素在原发灶和转移瘤中均有表达，促进了肿瘤细胞对LNS的黏附。综上所述，我们的研究结果表明，重塑的HEV与OPSCC的LN转移相关，并通过为癌细胞转移准备转移前土壤而在这一过程中发挥重要作用。
High endothelial venules (HEVs) are special blood vessels in the paracortical region of lymph nodes (LNs) and govern lymphocyte recruitment. LN metastasis has similarity to circulating lymphocytes homing to LNs, but the role of HEVs in the progression of oral and pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is unclear. In this study, we found that HEVs experienced a series of morphological and functional changes during OPSCC progression and were correlated with LN metastasis. In 9 cases of 73 metastatic LNs, tumor emboli were located adjacent to HEVs or just out of the vessels but not lymphatic channels. Gap junctions of tumor cells close to HEVs decreased or disappeared, and gaps were left at contact points where tumor cells attached to the HEVs. Moreover, the proliferation rate of endothelial cells of HEVs was the highest in metastatic LNs. Finally, L-selectin was detected in both primary and metastatic tumors, and it facilitated tumor cells adhering to LNs. In conclusion, our findings suggest that remodeled HEVs are correlated with LN metastasis of OPSCC and play important role in this process by preparing premetastatic soil for cancer cell metastasis.