Colocalization of VEGF and iNOS in Parenchymal and Stromal Cells of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background and objectives: Tumor angiogenesis and inflammation perception are intricately linked to cancer progression. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) controls distinct procedures in angiogenesis of pathological conditions in metabolic functions of cancer cells with the inflammatory cytokine inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in parenchymal together with stromal cells of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) as well as assessing microvessel density (MVD). Methods: Immunohistochemistry was applied to analyze VEGF, iNOS as well as CD31 expression within 31 OSCCs paraffin blocks, which grouped into 13 well differentiated, 10 moderately differentiated, and 8 poorly differentiated (paraffin blocks OSCC). Results: Both VEGF and iNOS exhibit strong expression in both parenchymal and stromal cells in all grades of OSCC together with increased MVD. Conclusion: Enhanced expression of VEGF and iNOS together with MVD potentially correlate with OSCC grades.