title: Immunohistochemical analysis of P-Selectin as a possible marker of vitality in human cutaneous wounds.
abstract: Immunohistochemical detection of mediators of inflammation, such as P-Selectin, has been proposed to assess vitality of wounds. Forty-five incised cutaneous wounds (24 vital, 14 post-mortem, seven with induced autolysis/putrefaction) were immunostained with antibodies against P-Selectin and CD31. The percentage of stained lumina for P-Selectin out of the total of CD31 positive vessels (P-S/CD31 index) was calculated at both edges of every specimen. In vital samples, the P-S/CD31 index ranged from 10.7% to 71.4% at the wound edge, and was 12.5-58.8% for the opposite margin, with a ratio between both indices of 0.37-1.77 (mean: 0.94). In post-mortem cases, the index ranged from 22.5% to 69.2% at the wound edge, and was 28-89.5% at the opposite margin, with a ratio between both indices of 0.76-1.9 (mean: 0.96). Differences between ratios were not statistically significant and thus precluded any assessment of vitality. The analysis of P-Selectin/CD31 immunoreactivity in skin wounds was not useful for the diagnosis of vitality when evaluating both edges for each specimen. Moreover, P-Selectin has been detected in post-mortem injuries and it is not specific to vital injuries. Microscopic evaluation becomes difficult after autolysis/putrefaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, POVISA Hospital, Vigo, Spain. jaortiz@povisa.es
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Rey
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Suárez-Peñaranda
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: San Miguel
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Calvo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Concheiro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D019007:P-Selectin; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1