| Research Abstract |
In 2006, we have first elucidated the objective distribution of the lymphatics in the kidney employing immunohistochemistry by LYVE-1, D2-40, von Willebrand Factor and CD 31 antibodies, which has long been obscure. 1. In the normal kidney, the lymphatics are abundant in the interstitial tissues around the interlobar and arcuate arteries. They are seldom present in the glomerular and urinary tubular regions in the renal cortex. In addition, they are almost absent in the interstitium in the renal meddula. 2. In renal carcinoma, the lymphatics are abundantly found at the periphery of the tumor, however, they are not demonstrated within the tumor itself. On the contrary, blood capillary are shown also within the tumor. 3. The lymphatics are demonstrable in the other pathologic conditions, however, among these, its density was extraordinarily noted in the end-stage kidney.
In 2007, we further investigated the significance of lymphatic invasion by renal carcinoma cell on regional lymph node metastasis. The lymphatic vessel density increased around the tumor, however, it did not differ between lymph node metastasis group and negative lymph node metastasis group. When we compared the tumor size, histopathologic typing, nuclear atypism grade, venous invasion and lymphatic invasion, some differences were observed between lymph node metastasis group and node negative group. However, when we further analyzed this relationship by multivariate analysis, only the factor of lymphatic invasion around the tumor was considered to be responsible for lymph node metastasis.
While we carried out the above study, we applied the patent for the raising methods of LYVE-1 antibody. In the beginning of the year 2007, it was approved by the Japanese government.
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