Lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in non-phymatous rosacea.
BACKGROUND
Our study evaluated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CD31 and D2-40 in involved and uninvolved skin of 18 patients with rosacea.


METHODS
Immunostaining of facial skin specimens with VEGF, CD31 and D2-40 was compared between the lesional and the non-lesional skin of patients with erythemotelangiectatic and papulopustular rosacea.


RESULTS
Significantly increased dermal expression of VEGF in lesional vs. non-lesional skin (88.9% and 55.6%) was observed. Dermal expression of CD31 and D2-40 was also increased in lesional vs. non-lesional skin. There was no statistically significant difference in cutaneous expression of VEGF, CD31 and D2-40 between patients with papulopustular and erythemotelangiectatic rosacea, and no correlation was found between disease duration and immunoreactivity of VEGF, CD31or D2-40.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed marked immunostaining of lesional skin with VEGF, CD31 and D2-40 compared with non-lesional skin. Increased immunoreactivity of D2-40 in lesional skin is interesting, given that none of the patients had facial edema. There are no published data regarding the role of lymphangiogenesis in patients with non-phymatous rosacea; thus, our study represents a new understanding of its pathogenesis. Lack of correlation between D2-40 expression and disease duration suggests that lymphatics are involved early in the pathogenesis of rosacea and do not constitute a late event.
Gomaa
Amal H A
AH
Dermatopathology Section, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Yaar
Mina
M
Eyada
Moustafa M K
MM
Bhawan
Jag
J
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D012393:Rosacea / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D015415:Biomarkers; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C500987:monoclonal antibody D2-40