OBJECTIVETo investigate the significance of beta-adrenergic receptor 2 (beta2-AR) and vascular endothelial growth factor-2 (VEGFR-2) in the occurrence and development of infantile hemangioma through detecting the expression of beta2-AR and VEGFR-2 in the different stages of infantile hemangiomas.

METHODSAccording to the Mulliken's classification standard, we classified the specimens as proliferating group (32 cases), involuting group (17 cases) and involuted group (11 cases). Normal skin tissue surrounding the hemangioma from 7 cases were chosen as control group. The expression of beta2-AR and VEGFR-2 was detected by immunohistochemical technique in proliferating hemangioma, involuting hemangioma, involuted hemangioma. The mean optical density was measured by image analysis system (Image Pro Plus 6.0) and SPSS 16.0 software was applied for statistical analysis.

RESULTSThe expression of beta2-AR and VEGFR-2 was strongly positive in proliferating hemangioma, while positive in involuting hemangioma and weakly positive in the involuted stage. The mean optical density of each phase was 0.064 751 2 +/- 0.012 747, 0.031 6017 +/- 0.006 848,0.011 869 8 +/- 0.039 349 for beta2-AR, and 0.068 940 9 +/- 0.029 274, 0.028 445 5 +/- 0.006 396, 0.011 184 1 +/- 0.004 198 for VEGFR-2. The differences between different stages had a statistically significance (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis on the mean optical density between beta2-AR and VEGFR-2 had a statistically significance (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSBeta2-AR and VEGFR-2 may be involved in the occurrence and development of infantile hemangioma.