title: PGP 9.5 neuronal marker may differentiate immunohistochemically HIV-related from Mediterranean and immunosuppression-associated Kaposi's sarcoma.
abstract: Mediterranean Kaposi's sarcoma (MKS), HIV-related KS (HIV-KS) and immunosuppression-associated KS (IS-KS), caused by human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8), share similar histological features. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in epidermal nerve fibers (ENFs) between the three KS types and controls. Skin biopsies from 23 HIV-KS, 16 MKS, 28 IS-KS patients and 18 controls, age-gender matched, were immunostained with PGP 9.5; ENFs in upper epidermal layer (EL) and penetrating the basement membrane were measured. The mean number of nerve fibers penetrating ENFs was significantly lower in HIV-KS (p < 0.001) compared to all other groups. MKS and IS-KS had comparable ENFs but lower than controls (p < 0.00 1). In the upper EL all groups had comparable ENFs and lower than controls. In conclusion, HIV-KS can be distinguished histologically from other types, by counting ENFs. Moreover, KS is associated with decreased ENFs, which may be a histological reflection of nerve damage. This is even more pronounced in HIV-KS patients and could be explained by a neurotoxic action of HHV-8, HIV, and their co-existence.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Pathophysiology (AIDS Unit), School of Medicine, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasileia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Xyla
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skopelitis
authors.forename: Panayiotis D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Ziakas
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kontos
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ioannidis
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kordossis
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aroni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004817:Epidermis / Q000294:innervation; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C482860:UCHL1 protein, human; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase