Hyaluronate accumulation and decreased CD44 expression in perifollicular solitary cutaneous myxoma.
BACKGROUND
Myxomas are rare cutaneous tumors which may be solitary or associated with Carney's complex, NAME or LAMB syndromes. The mucinous material which constitutes the stroma of cutaneous myxomas is predominantly composed of hyaluronate (HA), the major component of the extracellular matrix. CD44 is a polymorphic integral membrane glycoprotein which serves as the principal cell surface receptor for HA.


OBJECTIVE
Here we present 2 cases of solitary cutaneous myxomas displaying microscopically a perifollicular localization, in which we explored the nature of the accumulated mucinous material by colloidal iron and HA-binding protein stainings, as well as the epidermal expression of CD44 protein by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
We show that HA is accumulated in the stroma of the cutaneous myxoma lesions and that the protein expression of CD44 in the keratinocytes of the trichofolliculoma-like epithelial buds projecting from the hair follicle centering these lesions is significantly decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that a decrease in CD44 expression in follicular epithelial proliferations may be correlated with an abnormal HA accumulation in cutaneous myxoma.
Calikoglu
Emel
E
Department of Dermatology, Fatih University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey.
Augsburger
Eric
E
Masouyé
Isabelle
I
Chavaz
Pierre
P
Saurat
Jean-Hilaire
JH
Kaya
Gürkan
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009232:Myxoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid