title: High lymph vessel density and expression of lymphatic growth factors in peritoneal endometriosis.
abstract: To investigate the occurrence of lymph vessels and lymphangiogenic growth factors in peritoneal lesions, we performed immunohistochemical staining of peritoneal lesions of 37 patients with antibodies against podoplanin (D2-40), lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1), prospero homeobox protein 1 (Prox-1), vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF)-C/VEGF-D. Overall, 10 lesions were double stained against D2-40 and von Willebrand factor. The lymph vessel density in peritoneal lesion was significantly higher in comparison with healthy peritoneum. All lymph vessel makers could be detected, whereby the lymph vessel density of LYVE-1- and Prox-1-positive lymph vessels was significantly higher than the lymph vessel density of D2-40-positive lymph vessels. Endometriotic epithelial cells and stromal cells (SCs) showed a moderate-to-strong VEGF-C/VEGF-D expression. The VEGF-C-/VEGF-D-positive macrophages in endometriotic SCs could be observed. The lymphatic vasculature seems to form a further component of peritoneal lesions and could be involved in the inflammatory process. These data demonstrated a further step in the clarification of the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University hospital, Charité, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Uta
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reichelt
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keichel
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barcena de Arellano
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chiantera
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mechsner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D004729:Endothelium, Lymphatic / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000032:analysis; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000032:analysis; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000098551:Prospero-Related Homeobox 1 Protein
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D015415:Biomarkers; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C119248:LYVE1 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; C500987:monoclonal antibody D2-40; D000098551:Prospero-Related Homeobox 1 Protein