title: Absence of HHV-8 DNA in hobnail hemangiomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hobnail hemangioma (HH) is a rare subtype of hemangioma that shares the morphological feature of hobnail endothelia with retiform hemangioendothelioma (RHE) and has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of Kaposi sarcoma. Since DNA of the human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) has been detected in more than 90% of Karposi sarcomas and could recently be demonstrated in RHE, we sought to detect HHV-8 DNA in HH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DNA from 12 HH was extracted and subjected to polymerase chain reaction analysis for HHV-8 DNA using two independent protocols with a single set of primers and a nested PCR approach, respectively. PCR amplification was performed using the LightCycler as well as using a thermocycler. HHV-8 DNA could not be detected in HH, although each sample contained DNA adaequately preserved for PCR reactions, as determined by amplification of the beta actin gene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HHV-8 appears to play no rule in the pathogenesis of HH. Absence of HHV-8 DNA in HH might be important in the differential diagnosis to other vascular tumours, in particular Kaposi sarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Hannover Medical University, Hannover, Germany. rgutzmer@gmx.de
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gutzmer
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaspari
authors.forename: Rudolf A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Herbst
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kapp
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kiehl
mesh_terms: D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006390:Hemangioendothelioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004279:DNA, Viral