4 research outputs found
Microvascular changes in relation to inflammation and epidermal hyperplasia in chronic cutaneous lesions of psoriasis vulgaris
Epidermal proliferation, inflammatory
changes and microvascular augmentation are prominent
features of chronic cutaneous psoriatic lesions. The
objective of this study was the investigation of blood and
lymphatic microvascular changes in relation to
epidermal changes and inflammatory infiltration in
dermis.
Immunohistochemical analysis with antibodies to
CD34, podoplanin, vascular endothelial growth factorsA and C (VEGF-A and C) and morphometric software
were used for quantification of the following parameters:
blood and lymphatic vessel area (BVA and LVA),
VEGF-A and VEGF-C positive area, inflammatory cell
infiltration in dermis (CIA) and epidermal area (EA).
In comparison to healthy skin psoriatic lesions
showed remarkable elevation of all measured parameters
with the following average increase: BVA (2.8-times
increased), LVA (2.6-times increased), VEGF-A and
VEGF-C area (in epidermis 29-times and 19-times
increased, in dermis 25-times and 15-times increased,
respectively ), and EA (3-times increased).
Statistical analysis revealed significant positive
correlation between CIA and EA in psoriatic samples.
Blood vessels area and VEGF-A expression in epidermis
showed mild positive correlation with epidermal
hyperplasia and weak positive correlation with dermal
inflammatory infiltration. VEGF-A expression in
epidermis also significantly correlated with blood
vessels area. As for the lymphatic microcirculation we
found a statistically significant positive correlation
between lymphatic vessels area and the cellular
infiltration in dermis but only weak correlation with
epidermal hyperplasia.
We hypothesize that angiogenesis in psoriasis is to a
greater extent responding to epidermal hyperplasia and
in a lesser way to inflammatory infiltration in dermis.
However, lymphangiogenesis is significantly related to
dermal inflammatory infiltration
Quantitative immunohistochemical assessment of blood and lymphatic microcirculation in cutaneous lichen planus lesions
Latest advances have brought to light the
hypothesis that angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are
tightly connected to some chronic inflammatory
diseases. The present study focuses on immunohistochemical assessment of the quantitative changes in the
blood and lymphatic microcirculatory bed in common
chronic dermatosis - cutaneous lichen planus. Double
immunohistochemistry with CD34 and podoplanin
antibodies was used to detect blood and lymphatic
endothelium, while anti-human VEGF was used for the
observation of a key angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis inducer. Morphometric analysis was performed
with QuickPhoto Micro image analysis software. Results
confirmed statistically significant enlargement of both
the blood and lymphatic microcirculatory beds.
Compared to healthy skin, cutaneous lichen planus
lesions revealed 1.6 times enlarged blood
microcirculatory bed and 1.8 times enlarged lymphatic
microcirculatory bed. Vascular endothelial growth factor
(VEGF) expression in lesional skin was significantly
higher in the epidermis (19.1 times increase) than in the
dermis (10.3 times increase). These findings indicate a
tight association of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis
with the pathogenesis of cutaneous lichen planus
Quantitative changes of the capillary bed in aging human skin
The present study focuses on the quantitative changes of the capillary bed in aging human skin. Forty-five skin samples were excised from the anterior thoracic region of cadavers of caucasian origin in the age range 33-82 years. The immunohistochemical method with anti-human CD34 was used for the detection of the capillary endothelium. Morphometric analysis was done by Vision Assistant software. The capillary bed was quantified by two parameters: capillary area (CA) and intercapillary distance (ID) in 6 age groups. Results revealed no quantitative changes of the capillary bed up to the age of 60 years. In the papillary dermis a significant reduction of the capillary area was seen in the 7th, 8th and 9th decennium. A considerable decrease, by 33%, was determined in the 7th decennium. During the 8th and 9th decennium the capillary area was reduced by a further 19% and 13%. In total from the 4th till the 9th decennium, the capillary bed in the papillary dermis was diminished by 65%. The intercapillary distance in the papillary dermis singnificantly increased during the 8th decennium. On the basis of the mutual evaluation of both the observed parameters, CA and ICD, the authors supposed that the reduction of the capillary bed in the papillary dermis during the 7th decennium was probably caused only by the shortening of the capillary loops, which copied flattened dermal papillae, and during the 8th decennium also by the decreased number of the capillary loops. In the reticular dermis the capillary bed remained unchange