Immunohistochemical expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 in pilomatricoma.
BACKGROUND
The mechanism of occurrence of calcification and ossification in pilomatricoma remains unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the pathogenesis of calcification and ossification in pilomatricoma we examined the role of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, which plays important parts in inducing ectopic bone formation both in vivo and in vitro.


METHODS
Twenty cases of pilomatricoma were studied immunohistochemically using anti-BMP-2 monoclonal antibody.


RESULTS
In normal skin, including hair follicles, there was no BMP-2 expression. In all pilomatricomas, BMP-2 was found exclusively in the cytoplasm of shadow cells but not in basophilic cells. In two cases of bone formation seen in pilomatricoma, osteoblasts in the periosteal area showed a strong positive reaction, while bone trabeculum (bone matrix) showed no reaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that shadow cells positive for BMP-2 may play an important part in generating bone formation in pilomatricoma.
Kurokawa
I
I
Department of Dermatology, Hyogo Prefectural Tsukaguchi Hospital, 6-8-17 Minamitsukaguchi-cho, Amagasaki, Hyogo 661-0012, Japan. ikuro@ales.or.jp
Kusumoto
K
K
Bessho
K
K
Okubo
Y
Y
Senzaki
H
H
Tsubura
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001857:Bone Matrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018296:Pilomatrixoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
C525718:BMP2 protein, human; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta