DOI: https://doi.org/10.22263/2312-4156.2025.3.18
D.A. Zinovkin1, E.I. Lebedeva2, A.T. Shchastniy2, A.S. Babenka3, A.N. Kuptsova4
The correlations between parameters of the vascular component and signal molecules of the extracellular matrix of the tumour microenvironment of endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterine body in different disease outcomes
1Gomel State Medical University, Gomel, Republic of Belarus
2Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University, Vitebsk, Republic of Belarus
3Republican Scientific and Practical Centre “Cardiology’’, Minsk, Republic of Belarus
4Gomel Regional Clinical Pathoanatomical Bureau, Gomel, Republic of Belarus
Vestnik VGMU. 2025;24(3):18-25.
Abstract.
Objectives. To identify the correlations within the tumor microenvironment of endometrioid adenocarcinoma between the vascular component parameters and extracellular matrix signaling molecules in different disease outcomes.
Material and methods. Histological archival material of 188 cases of the endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterine body was used in the study. The group with favorable outcome included 148 cases without tumour progression. The group with unfavorable outcome included 40 patients who had disease progression during the follow-up. CD105+, CD146+ vessels and vasculogenic mimicry in 1 mm2 of tumour were counted. Fibulin-1 and BMP-4 expression was assessed by semi-quantitative method. Spearman’s test was used to identify correlations. When testing statistical hypotheses in this study, p was taken as 0.05.
Results. In the group with unfavorable outcome of the endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterine body, weak direct correlations were observed between CD105+ microcirculatory vessels and vasculogenic mimicry (r=0.43 CI 0.13-0.65; p=0.006), and between Fibulin-1 expression and CD146+ vessels surrounded by vascular tumour-associated fibroblasts (r=0.35; p=0.026). In the group with favorable outcome, moderate correlations were found between CD105+ vessels and FIGO stage (r=0.63; p<0.001), and inverse correlations between vasculogenic mimicry and BMP-4 (r=-0.51; p<0.001).
Conclusions. The established correlations may indicate remodeling of the vascular component of the tumour microenvironment and altered expression of extracellular matrix signalling molecules, possibly leading to changes in the biological potential of endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterine body in cases of unfavorable disease outcome.
Keywords: endometrioid adenocarcinoma, vasculogenic mimicry, microcirculatory bed, CD105, CD146, correlations.
The sources of funding. The study was performed within the framework of the grant BRFFR-NNSFC №20230285 dated 10.03.2023: “Vasculogenic mimicry and proangiogenic activity in the tumour microenvironment under the action of vCAF in endometrial cancer”
Acknowledgments. The authors express their gratitude to the reviewers of the article.
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Submitted 12.07.2024
Accepted 13.06.2025
Information about authors:
Dmitry A. Zinovkin – Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Chair of Pathology, Gomel State Medical University, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3808-8832
E.I. Lebedeva – Candidate of Biological Sciences, associate professor of the Chair of Histology, Cytology and Embryology, Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1309-4248;
A.T. Shchastniy – Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor, Head of the Chair of Hospital Surgery with the course of the Faculty for Advanced Training & Retraining, Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2796-4240
A.S. Babenka – Candidate of Chemical Sciences, associate professor, Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Biologist, Republican Scientific and Practical Centre “Cardiology”, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5513-970X
A.N. Kuptsova – intern, pathologist, Gomel Regional Clinical Pathoanatomical Bureau, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1479-875X
