ANGIOGENESIS AND COX2 IN PYOGENIC GRANULOMAS: AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

Abstract

Oral pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a frequent reactive lesion. Angiogenesis and inflammation are involved in its development, however, its etiopathogenesis is still not fully understood. Objective: The immunoexpression of CD34 and COX2, markers used in the study of angiogenesis and inflammation, respectively, was evaluated. Study Design: Forty-nine PG cases were selected and divided into 25 cases of lobular capillary hemangioma (LCH) and 24 cases of non-LCH. For the analysis of CD34, 5 hot spot areas were chosen, from which 2 fields were selected, in which the positive cells were counted and a mean was taken from these values. The evaluation of COX immunoexpression was by means of a semi-quantitative analysis in 5 selected fields. For all evaluations, significant values were considered with P < .05. Results: Regarding the expression of CD34, the highest angiogenic indices were attributed to the histologic subtype of LCH in lesions with less inflammatory infiltrate. Regarding the expression of COX2, there was a higher frequency of scores 1 and 2 in the cases of LCH and non-LCH. There was no positive correlation between angiogenesis and inflammation (P < .004). Conclusion: It is suggested that these 2 processes participate in the pathogenesis of PG, but not necessarily synergistically. Oral pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a frequent reactive lesion. Angiogenesis and inflammation are involved in its development, however, its etiopathogenesis is still not fully understood. Objective: The immunoexpression of CD34 and COX2, markers used in the study of angiogenesis and inflammation, respectively, was evaluated. Study Design: Forty-nine PG cases were selected and divided into 25 cases of lobular capillary hemangioma (LCH) and 24 cases of non-LCH. For the analysis of CD34, 5 hot spot areas were chosen, from which 2 fields were selected, in which the positive cells were counted and a mean was taken from these values. The evaluation of COX immunoexpression was by means of a semi-quantitative analysis in 5 selected fields. For all evaluations, significant values were considered with P < .05. Results: Regarding the expression of CD34, the highest angiogenic indices were attributed to the histologic subtype of LCH in lesions with less inflammatory infiltrate. Regarding the expression of COX2, there was a higher frequency of scores 1 and 2 in the cases of LCH and non-LCH. There was no positive correlation between angiogenesis and inflammation (P < .004). Conclusion: It is suggested that these 2 processes participate in the pathogenesis of PG, but not necessarily synergistically.