BACKGROUND: CD34 is a 115 kD glycoprotein which is expressed on hematopoietic progenitor cells. It is also known as an immunohistochemical marker of endothelial cells. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the patterns of CD34 expression on: (1) cutaneous benign and malignant vascular tumors and (2) on the mature and immature vessels of pyogenic grauloma and capillary hemangioma. METHOD: We performed immunoperoxidase staining using a monoclonal anti-CD34 antibody (QBEND/10) on formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of 23 benign and malignant cutaneous vascular tumors. RESULTS: The results are summerized as follows: 1. In 3 cases of nevus flammeus and 6 cases of carvernous hemangioma, vascular endothelial cells of all hemangiomas showed CD34 expressions. In 5 cases of angiokeratoma, endothelial cells of hemangioma, did not express CD34. 2. In all 5 cases of pyogenic granulomas and one case of capillary hemangioma, endothelial cells of mature vessels, endothelial cells near the well-formed lumina and endothelial cells showing intracellular lumina showed strong positivity for CD34, wbile endothelial cells far from the lumina and endothelial cells without lumina formation mostly showed negative staining for CD34. 3. One cese of Kaposis sarcoma showed focall positivity for CD34 both in endothelial cells of the small, well-formed vessels and spindle cells. Two cases of angiosarcoma showed CD34 expression only in endothelial cells of well-formed, normal appearing vessels, whereas atypical endothelial cells of tumor vessels and spindle cells were negative for CD34. CONCLUSION: CD34 could be a marker for endothelium in mature, well-differentiated vascular structures and may serve as a marker of lumen formation or differentiation of endothelial cells.
Angiokeratoma ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Formaldehyde ; Glycoproteins ; Granuloma, Pyogenic ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Capillary ; Hemangiosarcoma ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Negative Staining ; Port-Wine Stain ; Sarcoma, Kaposi

No abstract available.

Porokeratosis is a specific disorder of keratinization characterized histologically by the presence of a cornoid lamella. Clinically, the basic lesion is a sharply demarcated hyperkeratotic plaque which may be linear, punctated, or annular with central atrophy. The etiology of the various types of porokeratosis is unknown. However, heredity, UV radiation, immunosuppression, trauma, burns, and occult infection are known to be precipitating or exacerbating factors. A 32-year-old female was burnt on her right arm and chest at the age of 12. Several years later, brownish plaques developed in these burn areas. Seven years prior to visiting our clinic, nu- merous match-head sized, peripherally elevated macules developed on the forearms and have gradually spread to the other areas of her upper and lower extremities. The histological findings of two lesions from the burn areas showed the same features including cornoid lamellae in the epidermis and fibrosis in the dermis. Howerer, the histological finding of a lesion from a non-burn area showed cornoid lamellae in the epidermis without evidence of dermal fibrosis. We believe our case is the first to be reported in Korea in which porokeratosis arose in previous burn areas.
Adult ; Arm ; Atrophy ; Burns* ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Forearm ; Heredity ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Korea ; Lower Extremity ; Porokeratosis* ; Thorax

Analysis of endothelial morphology by computer assisted digitizer and image analysis program provides very useful indices of cell shape and size which appear to correlate to the monolayer's functional status. To study the influences of the Alizarin red S staining, which is commonly used in animal experiments of corneal endothelium and vital staining, on the morphologic characteristics of corneal endothelium, morphometric data(density, area, coefficient of variation, perimeter, shape factor, hexagonality, lengths) obtained by specular microscopy of the endothelium are compared to data obtained by Alizarin red S staining of the endothelium of the excised cornea. Mean endothelial cell area was measured as 389.58 +/- 37.14 micrometer2, density was 2588 +/- 251 cells/mm2. The corresponding values measured after Alizarin red S staining, cell area was 407.42 +/- 45.3 micrometer2 and density was 2484 +/- 294 cells/mm2. But no significant differences were noted in comparing all morphometric data obtained by staining to that obtained from specular microscopy. Therefore, Alizarin red S staining combined with cell morphometric analysis could provide valuable data in a cornea which lacks clarity limits or precludes specular microscopy.
Animal Experimentation ; Cell Shape ; Cornea ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Endothelium, Corneal* ; Microscopy*

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia is a relatively rare benign tumor, which is charaterized by the development of endothelial-lined papillary projections in a vascular lumen. They can occur as a pure form in which endothelial proliferation developes in a dilated vessel, a mixed form in which endothelial proliferation occurs within a pre-existing angioma. We herein report a case of intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia coexistent with angioleiomyoma occuring in a 54-year-old man, who had a slowly growing tumor on the right sole for 2 years. The histologic findings revealed a solitary encapsulated mass composed of smooth muscles and blood vessels in deep dermis and papillary endothelial hyperplasia in a neighboring blood vessel.
Angiomyoma* ; Blood Vessels ; Dermis ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth

No abstract available.
Lichen Planus ; Lichens

No abstract available.
Animals ; Horns* ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar*

No abstract available.
Capillaries* ; Hemangioma, Capillary*

No abstract available.
Tattooing ; Warts

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a cytokine implicated in the susceptibility, development, and progression of gastrointestinal cancer and certain other neoplasms. In the later stages of cancer, TGF-β not only acts as a bystander of host-immune response, but also contributes to cell growth, invasion, and metastasis. In the current study, we generated gastric mucosal cells that stably express Smad7, and explored the Helicobacter pylori-associated biological changes between mock-transfected and Smad7-transfected RGM1 cells. METHODS: RGM1 cells stably transfected with Smad7 were infected with H. pylori, and molecular changes in apoptotic markers and inflammatory mediators were examined. Several candidate genes were explored in Smad7-overexpressing cells after H. pylori infection. RESULTS: Overexpression of Smad7 in RGM1 cells significantly increased the H. pylori-induced cytotoxicity compared to mock-transfected cells. Exaggerated increases in inflammatory mediators, cyclooxygenase 2, inducible NO synthase, and augmented apoptosis were noted in Smad7-overexpressing cells, whereas mitigated heme oxygenase 1 was noted in Smad7- overexpressing cells. These phenomena were reversed in cells transfected with Smad7 siRNA. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that inhibition of Smad7 is a possible target for mitigating H. pylori-associated inflammation.
Apoptosis ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Gastritis ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter* ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; Inflammation ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transforming Growth Factor beta