title: CD34+ fibrocytes in neoplastic and inflammatory pancreatic lesions.
abstract: Besides its function as a matrix-producing cell, the CD34+ fibrocyte has been reported to be an antigen-presenting cell capable of priming naive T cells in situ. Therefore, it has been claimed that the CD34+ fibrocyte may play an important role in host response to tissue damage. The objective of the present study was to analyze the presence and distribution of CD34+ fibrocytes and smooth muscle actin (SMA) reactive myofibroblasts in relation to the underlying pancreatic disease. We investigated a total of 12 pancreatic adenocarcinomas, 7 endocrine tumors of the pancreas, and 8 cases of chronic pancreatitis; in 11 cases, normal pancreatic tissue was available. The stroma of normal pancreatic tissue harbored diffusely scattered CD34+ fibrocytes. Chronic pancreatitis was characterized by an increased number of stromal CD34+ fibrocytes paralleled by a gain of SMA reactive myofibroblasts which were not observed in the normal pancreatic stroma. The stroma of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and endocrine tumors was devoid of CD34+ fibrocytes or showed at least a focal loss of this cell type, whereas SMA reactive myofibroblasts were detected in both endocrine tumors and adenocarcinomas. We conclude that detection of CD34+ fibrocytes may constitute an adjunctive tool in distinguishing chronic pancreatitis from ductal adenocarcinoma since the absence of this cell population strongly favors a neoplastic process. Moreover, CD34+ fibrocytes and myofibroblasts appear to be involved in stromal remodeling associated with chronic pancreatitis and ductal adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Philipps University Marburg, Baldingerstraße, 35033 Marburg, Germany, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Philipps University Marburg, Baldingerstraße, 35033 Marburg, Germany, Germany.
authors.forename: Schokufe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebrahimsade
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany, Germany.
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hellinger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Philipps University Marburg, Baldingerstraße, 35033 Marburg, Germany, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Philipps University Marburg, Baldingerstraße, 35033 Marburg, Germany, Germany.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramaswamy
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor