Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common form of
kidney cancer.
Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (
VEGF-C) and its receptor,
VEGFR-3, are involved in lymphangiogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression levels of
VEGF-C and
VEGFR-3 in RCC, and their association with lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and
lymph node metastasis. The
mRNA expression levels of
VEGF-C in 40 RCC tissues and 10 normal renal tissues were determined by reverse transcription-semiquantitative PCR. The differential expression of
VEGF-C and
VEGFR-3 was examined by immunohistochemistry. Using an anti-D2-40 antibody as a lymphatic marker, the morphology and structure of lymphatic vessels in tissues was examined, and the LVD was calculated.
VEGF-C mRNA expression in RCC tissues was higher than that in normal renal tissues, and
VEGF-C mRNA expression in the
lymph node metastasis group was higher than that in the non-
lymph node metastasis group. The positive expression rate of
VEGF-C and
VEGFR-3 in RCC tissues was significantly higher than that in normal renal tissues.
VEGF-C expression in the
lymph node metastasis group was significantly higher than that in the non-
lymph node metastasis group, and the positive expression of
VEGF-C was associated with the clinical staging of RCC. In addition, there was a correlation between
VEGF-C and
VEGFR-3 expression in
tumor cells. The LVD around the
tumor was higher than that in the center of the
tumor tissues and normal renal tissues, and it was closely associated with lymphatic invasion and
lymph node metastasis. Overall, the current findings demonstrated that the
VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling pathway promoted lymphangiogenesis around the
tumor and provided an approach for
tumor lymphatic invasion and
lymph node metastasis. Therefore, VEGFC and
VEGFR-3 expression may serve an important role in the initiation and development of RCC.