title: The role of mast cell tryptases in cardiac myxoma: Histogenesis and development of a challenging tumor.
abstract: A number of available studies have focused on the role of mastocytes and their angiogenic factors, such as tryptase expression, in cancer growth as a major research objective. Cardiac myxoma is a rare neoplasia and is the most common primary tumor of the heart. The cellular elements of cardiac myxoma have an endothelial phenotype; however, its histogenesis remains unclear. Currently, no available studies have correlated the pathological characteristics of cardiac myxomas, such as cell differentiation and vascularization, with the angiogenic factors of mast cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of mast cell tryptases on the development of cardiac myxomas and examine the histogenesis of tumoral cells. A series of 10 cardiac myxomas were examined by immunohistochemical analysis for the presence of tryptase-positive mast cells. Statistical analysis of our data demonstrated that angiogenesis and the development of pseudovascular structures were correlated with the number of tryptase-positive mast cells. Therefore, we hypothesize that cardiac myxoma cells are endothelial precursors which are able to generate mature vascular structures. Further morphological and immunophenotypic analyses of tumoral cells may corroborate such a hypothesis.
authors: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro I-88100, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Donato
authors: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro I-88100, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Conforti
authors: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro I-88100, Italy.
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Camastra
authors: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro I-88100, Italy.
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Ammendola
authors: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro I-88100, Italy.
authors: Annalidia
authors: A
authors: Donato
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, School of Medicine, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro I-88100, Italy.
authors: Attilio
authors: A
authors: Renzulli
keywords: angiogenesis; cardiac myxoma; mast cells; tryptase