Neuropilin-2 expression affects the increased vascularization and is a prognostic factor in osteosarcoma.

Handa,A; Tokunaga,T; Tsuchida,T; Lee,Y H; Kijima,H; Yamazaki,H; Ueyama,Y; Fukuda,H; Nakamura,M

doi:10.3892/ijo.17.2.291

Neuropilin-2 expression affects the increased vascularization and is a prognostic factor in osteosarcoma.

Authors:
- A Handa
- T Tokunaga
- T Tsuchida
- Y H Lee
- H Kijima
- H Yamazaki
- Y Ueyama
- H Fukuda
- M Nakamura
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Affiliations: Department of Pathology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Bohseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan.
Published online on: August 1, 2000 https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.17.2.291
Pages: 291-296

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Abstract

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor characterized by hypervascularity. Neuropilins (NRPs), which is expressed by human tumor cells, is known to be a potent receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We examined NRPs mRNA expression in 30 osteosarcomas. The osteosarcomas with NRP2 expression (n=24) showed a significantly increased vascularity (P<0.0014, Mann-Whitney U test). Osteosarcomas with NRP2 showed significantly poorer prognosis than those without NRP2 (P=0.016, Wilcoxon's test). These results suggest that NRP acts as a VEGF-amplifier in a paracrine or autocrine manner in the osteosarcoma. NRP2 expression cooperatively promotes angiogenesis and growth in osteosarcomas with VEGF expression.