OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and clinical significance of cyclin H and cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) in human hemangiomas.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry technique was used to measure the expression of cyclin H and CDK7 proteins in proliferative, involuting hemangiomas and normal skin tissues. Immunohistochemical technique for factor VIII-related antigen was used to prove that the cells which expressed cyclin H and CDK7 were endothelial cells. Average optical density and positive area of the expression of cyclin H and CDK7 proteins in proliferative, involuting hemangiomas and normal skin tissues were measured by image analysis (HPIAS-1000).

RESULTSThe expression of cyclin H and CDK7 protein in proliferating hemangiomas was significantly higher than that in involuting hemangiomas and normal skin tissues (P < 0.01). But no significant difference was found in the expression of cyclin H and CDK7 protein between involuting hemangiomas and normal skin tissues (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONScyclin H and CDK7 may play an important role in the generation and development of human hemangiomas.

Cyclin H ; metabolism ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; metabolism ; Hemangioma ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism

Impaired regulation of apoptosis is known to be associated with the development of various cancers, and Fas/Fas-ligand (FasL) is known to play an important role in apoptosis. CD40 is a cell surface receptor, which when ligated modulates apoptosis in some cell types. The expressions of CD40 and FasL were examined in 10 normal skins, 7 Bowen's disease skins, 10 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 12 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) immunohistochemically. In the normal epidermis, CD40 was more highly expressed in the keratinocytes of the squamous cell and granular layers than in those of the basal layer, and FasL expression was observed in the cell membrane of keratinocytes at the basal and squamous cell layers. CD40 expression was significantly higher in SCCs than in normal or Bowen's disease skin, while FasL expression was significantly higher in Bowen's disease than in SCCs. BCCs expressed the lowest levels of CD40 and FasL. These results suggest that altered CD40 and FasL expression may be related with the progression of SCC, and the marked reduced expression of CD40 and FasL may explain the biologic behavior of BCCs.
Antigens, CD40/*metabolism ; Bowen's Disease/*metabolism ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell/*metabolism ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*metabolism ; Human ; Membrane Glycoproteins/*metabolism ; Reference Values ; Skin/metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms/*metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) in normal human skin and squamous cell carcinoma and analyze its relation with the tumorigenesis and development of squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODSThe expression of CB2 protein and mRNA levels were detected in normal human skin and squamous cell carcinoma using immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR.

RESULTSBoth the normal skin and squamous cell carcinoma expressed CB2, which was localized mainly in the basal cell layer and prickle cell layer in human skin with low expressions in the subcutaneous tissue. The expression intensity of CB2 differed significantly between squamous cell carcinoma and normal human skin (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSquamous cell carcinoma over-expresses CB2 at both the protein and mRNA levels. High expression of CB2 in squamous cell carcinoma suggests an important role of CB2 in the tumorigenesis and development of squamous cell carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism

Adenoma, Sweat Gland ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Keratin-14 ; metabolism ; Keratin-17 ; metabolism ; Keratin-18 ; metabolism ; Keratin-7 ; metabolism ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Papilloma ; metabolism ; Sebaceous Gland Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Sweat Gland Neoplasms ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDGlycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and malignant diseases. We investigated the expression of GPNMB in benign and malignant skin diseases.

METHODSTissue microarray was performed in the skin tissues of 102 cases including malignant melanoma (MM), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and benign dermatosis. The expression of GPNMB in the tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. Twenty cases of normal skin and adjacent neoplastic normal skin tissues were selected as controls.

RESULTSGPNMB was positively stained in skin malignancies (38/50, 76%), which was significantly higher than that in the control and the benign skin tissues (P = 0.001 and < 0.001 respectively). GPNMB was positively stained in MM (13/15, 87%) and SCC (16/20, 80%) (P < 0.001). Significant higher expression of GPNMB was observed in patients aged ≥ 65 years than those less than 65 years (n = 11 and n = 9 respectively, P = 0.027). No significant difference of the expression rates was observed between normal control and BCC; however, stronger intensity was detected in the latter. Negative or weak expression was observed in the controls.

CONCLUSIONOver-expression of GPNMB correlated strongly and might play an important role in the pathogenesis of MM and SCC.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Melanoma ; metabolism ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; metabolism ; pathology ; Skin Diseases ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Tissue Array Analysis ; methods ; Young Adult

Actins ; metabolism ; Female ; Glomus Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Thigh ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

CD4 Antigens ; metabolism ; CD56 Antigen ; metabolism ; Child ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Male ; Skin Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical features of giant cell fibroblastoma (GCF), with emphasis on its differential diagnosis and histogenesis.

METHODSSeven cases of GCF were investigated by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSSix cases occurred in children, and one occurred in a 35 year-old adult (mean 9.4 years). Five were male and two were female. Clinically, all cases appeared as slowly growing painless nodules located in the dermis or subcutis of the trunk and extremities. Microscopically, the poorly circumscribed tumor was composed of a proliferation of slightly to moderately atypical spindle cells which were arranged in parallel or wavy fascicles, and embedded in a fibromyxoid to collagenous background. The pathognomonic feature consisted of irregular distributed cleft-like or sinusoid-like pseudovascular spaces lined with a discontinuous layer of pleomorphic spindle cells and multinucleate giant cells. There was transition in shape between these two cells. Immunohistochemially, both cells expressed vimentin and CD34. Follow-up information in five cases showed local recurrences in two cases.

CONCLUSIONS(1) GCF is a distinctive fibroblastic tumor of intermediate malignancy that occurs predominantly in children. Recognizing its clinical and pathological characteristics is important to avoid misdiagnosis with other lesions with similar features. (2) GCF shared clinical, immunohistochemical and cytogenetic features with its adult counterpart-dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP). The additional coexistence of GCF and DFSP areas in some primary cases and the reciprocal transformation in recurrent tumors all suggest that they are two closely related entities, possibly representing two members of the CD34 positive dendritic neoplasms.

Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatofibrosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the predominant post-transcriptional modification for eukaryotic mRNA. It's regulated by methyltransferases, demethylases, and m6A binding proteins, and plays an important role in regulating splicing, translation, and degradation of mRNA. Skin diseases, especially immune skin diseases and skin tumors, have a complicated pathogenesis and are refractory to treatment, seriously affecting the patient quality of life. Recent studies have revealed that m6A and its regulatory proteins can affect the development of numerous skin diseases. The m6A modification was found to be involved in skin accessory development, including hair follicle and sweat gland formation. The level of m6A modification was significantly altered in a variety of skin diseases including melanoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and psoriasis, and affected a variety of biological processes including cell proliferation and differentiation migration. The m6A and its regulatory proteins may become potential molecular markers or therapeutic targets for skin diseases, and have promising clinical applications in early diagnosis, efficacy determination, prognosis prediction, and gene therapy of skin diseases.
Adenosine/metabolism* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Skin Neoplasms/genetics*

Cell Differentiation ; Child ; Dermatofibrosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Lipoblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mesenchymoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; metabolism ; pathology ; Sarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology