Igarashi A, Hayashi N, Nashiro K, Takehara K
Division of Dermatology, Kanto Teishin Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
J Cutan Pathol. 1998 Mar;25(3):143-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0560.1998.tb01706.x.
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a member of a family of immediate early gene products that may play an important role during tissue regeneration, wound repair and skin fibrosis. In this study, CTGF gene expression in mesenchymal tumors was investigated by in situ hybridization and CD34 antigen expression was studied by means of immunohistochemical staining. CTGF mRNA was expressed in fibroblasts of all nine dermatofibromas examined, but five of seven dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) or two cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma were negative for its expression. In contrast, CD34 antigen was expressed only in DFSP. In vascular tumors, CTGF mRNA was expressed in pyogenic granuloma but not in angiosarcoma. In addition, the endothelial cells in angiolipoma and angioleiomyoma, but not in venous lake, expressed CTGF mRNA. These vascular lesions were all positive for CD34 expression. Tumors of other origins were negative for CTGF mRNA. Our findings indicated that benign fibroblasts and/or vascular endothelial cells have the capability to express CTGF mRNA when activated, but these cells lose this ability when they achieve malignant potency. Thus, examination of CTGF gene expression may be useful for differentiating between benign and malignant mesenchymal tumors, or to determine the origin of the tumors in connective tissue.
结缔组织生长因子（CTGF）是即刻早期基因产物家族的成员之一，可能在组织再生、伤口修复及皮肤纤维化过程中发挥重要作用。在本研究中，采用原位杂交技术检测间叶性肿瘤中CTGF基因的表达，同时应用免疫组织化学染色法研究CD34抗原的表达情况。在所检测的9例皮肤纤维瘤的成纤维细胞中均有CTGF mRNA表达，但7例隆突性皮肤纤维肉瘤（DFSP）中的5例或2例恶性纤维组织细胞瘤中CTGF mRNA表达呈阴性。相反，CD34抗原仅在DFSP中表达。在血管性肿瘤中，化脓性肉芽肿中有CTGF mRNA表达，而血管肉瘤中无表达。此外，血管脂肪瘤和血管平滑肌瘤中的内皮细胞有CTGF mRNA表达，而静脉湖中的内皮细胞无表达。这些血管性病变的CD34表达均为阳性。其他来源的肿瘤CTGF mRNA表达均为阴性。我们的研究结果表明，良性成纤维细胞和/或血管内皮细胞激活后有能力表达CTGF mRNA，但这些细胞获得恶性潜能后则丧失此能力。因此，检测CTGF基因表达可能有助于鉴别良性与恶性间叶性肿瘤，或确定结缔组织肿瘤的起源。
