Bone hemangioendothelioma: an immunohistochemical study related to histological malignancy and proliferative activity (NORs).
OBJECTIVE
Forty-four bone hemangioendotheliomas (HEs) of different histological grades were studied to evaluate the expression and distribution of laminin, type IV collagen, cathepsin G and cathepsin D in cell differentiation and malignancy.


RESULTS
In poorly-differentiated HEs the discontinuous distribution of laminin and type IV collagen around angioblastic cords, tubes and cavities revealed an irregular and disorganized basement membrane (BM) architecture corresponding to an increased cell proliferation and secretion of cathepsin D and cathepsin G by tumor cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The mean nucleolar organizer region (NOR) area, as a measure of cell proliferation, was significantly higher in grade 4 malignancies than in lower grades, revealing novel prognostic parameters.
Benassi
M S
MS
Laboratory of Oncologic Research, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy.
Gamberi
G
G
Ragazzini
P
P
Sollazzo
M R
MR
Ferrari
C
C
Sangiorgi
L
L
Treré
D
D
Derenzini
M
M
Picci
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000032:analysis; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007399:Interphase; D007797:Laminin / Q000032:analysis; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000473:pathology; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D016622:Silver Staining; D016019:Survival Analysis
D007797:Laminin; D003094:Collagen; D002403:Cathepsins