VEGFc and VEGFR3 expression in human thyroid pathologies.

In vertebrates, vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptors (VEGFRs) are major determinants of angiogenesis. In adults, the interaction between VEGFc and VEGFR3 (previously FLT4) is more specifically involved in the biology of lymphatics. Using PCR amplification of reverse-transcribed mRNA, we studied the expression of the VEGFR3 (including its short and long forms) and VEGFc genes in 38 samples of various human thyroid pathologies. VEGFR3 mRNA was detected in all samples of adenomas, nodular goiters and focal goitrogenic alterations; in all samples of thyroid tissue from patients with auto-immune diseases; and in some samples of adenocarcinomas. VEGFc mRNA was detected in most samples. We studied expression of the VEGFR3 and VEGFc proteins in thyroid tumors using appropriate antibodies. Co-expression of VEGFR3 and VEGFc was observed in most samples.