title: Angiogenic Factor with G-patch and FHA Domain 1 (AGGF1) Expression in Human Vascular Lesions.
abstract: Angiogenic factor with G-patch and FHA domain 1 (AGGF1) is a novel angiogenic factor that was first described in Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, a congenital vascular disease associated with capillary and venous malformations. AGGF1, similar to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), has been shown to promote strong angiogenesis in chick embryos in vivo. Blocking AGGF1 expression prevented vessel formation, which suggests AGGF1 is a potent angiogenic factor linked to vascular malformations. So far, AGGF1 expression studies in human vascular lesions have not been performed. Here, we immunohistochemically investigated AGGF1 expression in venous, arteriovenous or capillary malformations, and infantile or congenital hemangioma. We found that AGGF1 was mostly expressed in endothelial cells with plump morphology. Moreover, the majority of mast cells strongly expressed AGGF1. Notwithstanding our incomplete knowledge of the molecular mechanism of AGGF1 in angiogenesis, our results show for the first time that AGGF1 is expressed in plump endothelial cells and mast cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Maosheng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Jun-Ichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Yuuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine , Yamada-oka 2-2, Suita 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osuga
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morii
keywords: AGGF1; mast cell; vascular malformation; vascular tumor