Originally published as JHC exPRESS on April 14, 2008. doi:10.1369/jhc.2008.950287
Volume 56 (7): 639-646, 2008 Copyright ©The Histochemical Society, Inc. Differential Expression of Decorin by Human Malignant and Benign Vascular Tumors
Departments of Medical Biochemistry (HHS,AOS,SP,HTJ), Pathology (MS,JL), and Medicine (HTJ), University of Turku, Turku, Finland Correspondence to: Dr. Hannu Järveläinen, MD, PhD, Turku University Central Hospital, Department of Medicine, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, FI-20520 Turku, Finland. E-mail: hannu.jarvelainen{at}utu.fi
An increasing amount of evidence indicates that a small extracellular chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan, decorin, is indirectly involved in angiogenesis. Given that angiogenesis is a sine qua non for tumor growth and progression, we attempted to examine whether human malignant vascular tumors differ from human benign vascular tumors in terms of their decorin expression and synthesis. CD31 immunostaining demonstrated that the human malignant vascular tumors Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma were filled with capillary-like structures, whereas in benign cavernous and capillary hemangiomas, blood vessels were not as abundantly present. By utilizing in situ hybridization and immunocytochemical assays for decorin, we showed that there was no detectable decorin mRNA expression or immunoreactivity within the tumor mass in the Kaposi's sarcoma or angiosarcoma group. Instead, decorin was expressed in the connective tissue stroma lining the sarcoma tissue. In contrast to sarcomas, in hemangiomas, decorin mRNA expression and immunoreactivity were observed also within the tumor mass, particularly in the connective tissue stroma surrounding the clusters of intratumoral blood vessels. Finally, distribution of type I collagen was found to be similar to that of decorin in these tumor tissues. Our findings can be explained with different states of angiogenesis in dissimilar growths. In sarcomas, angiogenesis is extremely powerful, whereas in hemangiomas, angiogenesis has ceased. Thus, decorin is likely to possess a suppressive effect on human tumor angiogenesis in vivo, as previously described by studies using different experimental models. Decorin certainly provides a usable biomarker for distinguishing between benign and malignant vascular tumors in patients. (J Histochem Cytochem 56:639–646, 2008)
Key Words: decorin type I collagen sarcoma hemangioma angiogenesis
ANGIOGENESIS INVOLVES degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), proliferation, migration, and capillary tube formation of endothelial cells, followed by matrix remodeling (Carmeliet 2003 1 chains of types I and III collagen (St. Croix et al. 2000
The molecular mechanisms governing decorin's involvement in various forms of angiogenesis are still speculative. However, it is most likely that decorin's role in the regulation of angiogenesis is indirect. This statement can be based, for example, on the fact that decorin is capable of interacting with and regulating the activity of a number of growth factors (e.g., Hildebrand et al. 1994
In this study we have continued to further investigate the role of decorin in angiogenesis, particularly in tumor angiogenesis in patients. Using tissue samples of the human vascular malignancies Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma, and tissue samples of human benign vascular tumors, hemangiomas, we have specifically aimed to examine whether there is a difference in the expression of decorin between malignant and benign vascular growths in vivo. In addition, by applying in situ hybridization (ISH), we have also focused our attention on the spatial location of decorin mRNA expression within human vascular tumors and their surrounding tissue. Furthermore, because decorin is known to interact with collagens such as type I collagen (Brown and Vogel 1989
Tissue Specimens In this study, human malignant (Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma) and benign (capillary and cavernous hemangiomas) vascular tumor specimens were used. Kaposi's sarcoma specimens were derived from skin of seven patients (five men, two women, mean age 75 years, range 72 to 83 years at the time of diagnosis). Similarly, angiosarcoma specimens of seven patients were used (six women and one man, mean age 70 years, range 28 to 86 years at the time of diagnosis). Hemangiomas were collected from skin of eight patients. Four of the hemangioma specimens were cavernous hemangiomas and four were capillary hemangiomas. All sarcoma and hemangioma specimens were obtained from the archives of Turku University Central Hospital, Department of Pathology, Turku, Finland. The specimens were classified according to the standard criteria of Weedon (2002)
ICC
ISH
Imaging
Highly Vascularized Kaposi's Sarcomas Lack Decorin Kaposi's sarcoma is a malignant neoplasm derived from vascular or lymphatic endothelium. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining of Kaposi's sarcoma tissue specimen revealed a round tumor mass in the center of the tissue section (Figure 1A ). The tumor was highly vascularized, as indicated by immunostaining with an antibody to the endothelial cell marker CD31 (Figures 1B and 1E). ISH and immunostaining of serial sections of the specimen for decorin demonstrated that the tumor, including all capillary blood vessel–like structures within it, was completely devoid of decorin mRNA expression (Figures 1C and 1F) and immunoreactivity (Figure 1D). In contrast, decorin mRNA was readily detected around the tumor mass, the most intense decorin expression residing in the connective tissue stroma surrounding the tumor mass (Figures 1C and 1F). Interestingly, the type I collagen staining pattern followed that of decorin (compare Figure 1G to 1D). The tumors of Kaposi's sarcoma were devoid of detectable immunoreactivity for EGFR (data not shown). The possibility that the lack of staining was due to methodological reasons was excluded by demonstrating a clear immunoreactivity for EGFR of the healthy epidermis and numerous glands residing outside the tumor tissue (data not shown).
Angiosarcomas Are Also Devoid of Decorin Expression and Immunoreactivity Malignant proliferation of blood vessels is called angiosarcoma. Immunostaining of the angiosarcoma tissue specimen (Figure 2A ) with an antibody to endothelial cell marker CD31 demonstrated, as expected, that the tumor was enriched with capillary blood vessels (Figure 2B). ISH and immunostaining assays for decorin indicated that the tumor mass of angiosarcoma, similarly to Kaposi's sarcoma, was completely negative for both decorin mRNA expression and immunoreactivity (Figures 2C and 2D). Instead, decorin was expressed in detectable amounts in the connective tissue stroma next to the sarcoma tumor (Figure 2C). The same area was also positive for decorin immunoreaction (Figure 2D). As in Kaposi's sarcomas, in angiosarcomas, the type I collagen staining pattern followed that of decorin (Figure 2E). No immunoreactivity for EGFR was detected within angiosarcomas (data not shown).
Hemangiomas, Unlike Kaposi's Sarcoma and Angiosarcoma, Contain Detectable Amounts of Decorin mRNA and Are Positive for Decorin and Type I Collagen Immunostaining The vast majority of vascular lesions are represented by benign hemangiomas (Hunt and Santa Cruz 2004
A fundamental finding of this study has been the demonstration of the fact that Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma, both of which represent malignant vascular neoplasms, completely lack decorin mRNA expression and immunoreactivity, whereas benign vascular tumors, namely hemangiomas, express decorin in readily detectable amounts. This differential expression pattern of decorin suggests that decorin is a useful biomarker for distinguishing between benign and malignant vascular growths in patients. In addition, because angiogenesis in vascular sarcomas is frequent, contrary to angiogenesis in hemangiomas, the differential expression pattern of decorin within Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma tissues in comparison with hemangiomas supports the possibility that decorin displays an inhibitory effect on human tumor angiogenesis in vivo. Earlier studies utilizing cell culture and animal models have been consistent with this possibility (Grant et al. 2002
In addition to demonstrating that decorin is not expressed within Kaposi's sarcoma or angiosarcoma tissue, we have shown in this study that decorin is expressed in abundant amounts in the areas lining these human malignant vascular tumors. Thus, because defining the borders of vascular sarcomas reliably is not always possible in clinical practice (e.g., whether the sarcoma tissue has been completely excised during surgery), the determination of the spatial location of decorin expression in sarcoma is a highly useful tool. In addition, the strong expression of decorin surrounding the sarcoma mass can be considered as an indication of excessive ECM production, probably representing a protective reaction of the healthy tissue against the invading tumor (Köninger et al. 2004
High expression of EGFR by tumor cells and/or tumor endothelial cells has been correlated with increased angiogenesis (Moon et al. 2006 In conclusion, we have shown that there is a striking difference in decorin expression between human malignant and benign vascular tumors; i.e., within Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma the expression of decorin is completely lacking, whereas within hemangiomas, decorin is expressed in detectable amounts. This suggests that decorin is a usable biomarker for distinguishing between malignant and benign vascular neoplasms. We have also shown that in Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma, decorin expression is upregulated in the areas surrounding these human vascular tumors. Thus, the determination of decorin expression in tissue specimens of human vascular neoplasms provides an applicable tool for localizing the border of healthy and diseased tissue. Immunostaining results of type I collagen indicate the same conclusion to be true for this collagen type as well. Finally, our findings provide opportunities for developing a new strategy for the future treatment of human vascular malignancies.
This study was supported by the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Medical Research Fund (EVO) of Turku University Central Hospital, and Turku University Foundation. The authors disclose that there is no financial or personal conflict of interest amongst themselves and with industry. We thank Marja Nykänen and Heidi Pakarinen for excellent technical assistance.
1 These authors contributed equally to this work. Received for publication November 19, 2007; accepted March 26, 2008
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