title: Increased hyaluronan and CD44 expressions in intravenous leiomyomatosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the influence of hyaluronan and its receptor CD44 in the angiogenesis and invasiveness of intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Paraffin-embedded sections from four IVL cases and 10 uterine leiomyoma cases were immunohistochemically stained for CD34, CD44, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), vascular endothelial growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor and assayed for microvessel densities. Hyaluronan was immunostained by biotinylated hyaluronan-binding peptide and the results were clinically correlated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD34 labeling showed significantly increased microvessel counts in IVL (156.6+/-3.7), when compared to uterine leiomyomas (61.3+/-27.3; P<0.001). Hyaluronan and its receptor CD44 were prominently expressed in IVL when compared to leiomyomas and associated with an elevation in bFGF expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IVL is a highly vascular neoplasm with elevated microvessel counts. The increase of hyaluronan and CD44 expression in IVL suggests that it is highly angiogenic and has an invasive potential. Elevation of hyaluronan may play a possible role in the pathogenesis of IVL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Jou
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yeh
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yu-Shih
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Su-Cheng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Song-Nan
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Pao-Ling
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Torng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D018231:Leiomyomatosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D019043:Vascular Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid