Similarities and differences of human and experimental mouse lymphangiomas.
Lymphangioma is a disfiguring malformation of early childhood. A mouse lymphangioma model has been established by injecting Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA) intraperitoneally, but has not been compared with the human disease. We show that, in accordance with studies from the 1960s, the mouse model represents an oil-granuloma, made up of CD45-positive leukocytes and invaded by blood and lymph vessels. Several markers of lymphatic endothelial cells are expressed in both mouse and human, like CD31, Prox1, podoplanin, and Lyve-1. However, the human disease affects all parts of the lymphovascular tree. We observed convolutes of lymphatic capillaries, irregularly formed collectors with signs of disintegration, and large lymph cysts. We observed VEGFR-2 and -3 expression in both blood vessels and lymphatics of the patients, whereas in mouse VEGFR-2 was confined to activated blood vessels. The experimental mouse FIA model represents a vascularized oil-granuloma rather than a lymphangioma and reflects the complexity of human lymphangioma only partially.
Kasten
Philipp
P
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany.
Schnöink
Gerrit
G
Bergmann
Astrid
A
Papoutsi
Maria
M
Buttler
Kerstin
K
Rössler
Jochen
J
Weich
Herbert A
HA
Wilting
Jörg
J
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004729:Endothelium, Lymphatic / Q000473:pathology; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D006099:Granuloma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008202:Lymphangioma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3