Danielle Wendling-Keim1, Christian Vokuhl2, Christoph Walz3, Lynn Rieder4, Rainer Grantzow4, Dietrich VON Schweinitz4, Roland Kappler4, Michael Berger4. 1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany danielle.wendling@med.uni-muenchen.de. 2. Kiel Pediatric Tumor Registry, Section of Pediatric Pathology, Department of Pathology, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany. 3. Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany. 4. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: Hepatic hemangiomas (HH) can show an aggressive course with significant complications. Prognostic markers that identify an aggressive course are entirely absent. Since we have showed that Hedgehog signaling is overexpressed in aggressive hemangiomas of the skin. Here, we hypothesize that it is also altered in aggressive HH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistological staining for GLUT1 and quantitative PCR was performed in seven specimens with aggressive HH. For comparison, we included specimens of kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE), skin hemangioma and normal liver tissue. RESULTS: Overexpression of the Hedgehog signaling components SHH and GLI2 and its target gene FOXA2 in HH were similar to those found in aggressive skin hemangioma and KHE, their expression being significantly higher than in mild skin hemangioma. High expression levels of SHH and FOXA2 positively correlated with HH, but not with normal liver tissue. CONCLUSION: Hedgehog signaling is up-regulated in aggressive HH. This finding may lead to a biomarker allowing early intervention. Copyright
BACKGROUND/AIM: Hepatic hemangiomas (HH) can show an aggressive course with significant complications. Prognostic markers that identify an aggressive course are entirely absent. Since we have showed that Hedgehog signaling is overexpressed in aggressive hemangiomas of the skin. Here, we hypothesize that it is also altered in aggressive HH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistological staining for GLUT1 and quantitative PCR was performed in seven specimens with aggressive HH. For comparison, we included specimens of kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE), skin hemangioma and normal liver tissue. RESULTS: Overexpression of the Hedgehog signaling components SHH and GLI2 and its target gene FOXA2 in HH were similar to those found in aggressive skin hemangioma and KHE, their expression being significantly higher than in mild skin hemangioma. High expression levels of SHH and FOXA2 positively correlated with HH, but not with normal liver tissue. CONCLUSION: Hedgehog signaling is up-regulated in aggressive HH. This finding may lead to a biomarker allowing early intervention. Copyright