[Immunohistochemical study on central nervous system cavernous hemangiomas].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the histological structure, angiogenesis, and proliferative activity of central nervous system cavernous hemangiomas.


METHODS
70 surgical samples of central nervous system cavernous hemangiomas and 20 normal brain vessel samples from patients of epilepsy and open craniocerebral trauma were stained immunohistochemically with CD34, a-SMA; VEGF, Flt-1; and TGFa, Ki67 respectively. A comparison analysis was made according to the expression intensity.


RESULTS
CD34 and a-SMA were expressed in all the normal control brain vessel tissues in a manner of obvious and continuous staining. VEGF, Flt-1 and TGFa were not expressed obviously in the normal brain tissues. 47 and 50 out of the 70 cavernous hemangioma specimens were positively stained for CD34 and a-SMA respectively, and their expression was less continuous. 68 and 44 out of the 70 cavernous hemangioma specimens were positively stained for VEGF and Flt-1 respectively with diffuse distribution. 68 cavernous hemangioma specimens were positively stained for TGF-a. A significant difference in expression intensity was found for the above 5 factors between the normal control brain tissue and cavernous hemangiomas (all P < 0.05). No expression of Ki67 was detected in all samples.


CONCLUSIONS
The biological characteristics of cavernous hemangiomas are mainly relevant to the immaturity of the vessel wall. A series of angiogenic factors play an important role in the development of the lesion. The proliferative activity of the cavernous hemangiomas needs to be studied further.
Zhao
Yao
Y
Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Mao
Ying
Y
Zhou
Liang-fu
LF
Zhang
Yu-lin
YL
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000032:analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D000199:Actins; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008222:Lymphokines; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1