Unusual remodeling of the hyalinization band in vulval lichen sclerosus by type V collagen and ECM 1 protein

OBJECTIVES: The vulva is the primary site affected in lichen sclerosus, a chronic dermatosis in women that is histologically characterized by a zone of collagen remodeling in the superior dermis. The normal physiological properties of the vulva depend on the assembly of collagen types I (COLI), III (COLIII) and V (COLV), which form heterotypic fibers, and extracellular matrix protein interactions. COLV regulates the heterotypic fiber diameter, and the preservation of its properties is important for maintaining normal tissue architecture and function. In the current work, we analyzed the expression of COLV and its relationship with COLI, COLIII, elastic fibers and extracellular matrix protein 1 in vulvar biopsies from patients with lichen sclerosus. METHODS: Skin biopsies from 21 patients with lichen sclerosus, classified according to Hewitt histological criteria, were studied and compared to clinically normal vulvar tissue (N=21). Morphology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, 3D reconstruction and morphometric analysis of COLI, COLIII, COLV deposition, elastic fibers and extracellular matrix 1 expression in a zone of collagen remodeling in the superior dermis were performed. RESULTS: A significant decrease of elastic fibers and extracellular matrix 1 protein was present in the hyalinization zone of lichen sclerosus compared to healthy controls. The non-homogeneous distribution of collagen fibers visualized under immunofluorescence in the hyalinization zone of lichen sclerosus and control skin was confirmed by histomorphometry. Lichen sclerosus dermis shows a significant increase of COLI, COLIII and COLV expression compared to the healthy controls. Significant inverse associations were found between elastic fibers and COLV and between COLV and extracellular matrix 1 expression. A direct association was found between elastic fiber content and extracellular matrix 1 expression. Tridimensional reconstruction of the heterotypic fibers of the lichen sclerosus zone of collagen remodeling confirmed the presence of densely clustered COLV. CONCLUSIONS: Increased deposition of abnormal COLV and its correlation with extracellular matrix 1 and elastic fibers suggest that COLV may be a trigger in the pathogenesis of lichen sclerosus

Where did Roman masons get their material from? A preliminary DRIFTS/PCA investigation on mortar aggregates from X Regio buildings in the Veneto area (NE Italy) and their potential sources

In this work preliminary results are presented of an on-going investigation aiming to identify the possible material sources employed by ancient Romans in their building activity in the X Regio, the European region corresponding to present north-eastern Italy and Istria (Croatia and Slovenia). The 63 - 420 m fraction of the aggregate component recovered from eleven mortar fragments of buildings located in the Veneto area (in or close to Lio Piccolo, Vicenza and Padua) is studied by diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy and compared through principal component analysis to samples collected from local potential sources of raw materials. In this regard, the investigated samples from Lio Piccolo present a distinctive complexity, being this site located within the Venice lagoon, an area that has since been undergoing dramatic changes both due to natural and anthropic causes. The Vicenza and Padua sites were considered for comparison sake because they are or were located close to two rivers, the Bacchiglione and the Brenta, that in ancient times flowed into the Venetian lagoon. As expected, from the exploratory investigation reported here, no firm conclusions can be obtained for the mortar samples collected in Lio Piccolo, whereas the likely provenance of the aggregate component of the samples from Vicenza and Padova from the Bacchiglione and the Brenta riverbeds, respectively, is confirmed