Infantile hemangioma in a subadult Chinese pangolin: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Hemangiomas are a relatively common type of tumor in humans and animals. Various subtypes of hemangiomas have been described in the literature. The classification methods for hemangiomas differ between human and veterinary medicine, and the basis for tumor classification can be found in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: This study describes a tumor in the subcutaneous tissue of the right dorsum of an artificially rescued juvenile Chinese pangolin. Computed tomography (CT) examination yielded the preliminary diagnosis of a vascular malformation, and surgery was performed to resect the tumor. Histopathological examination showed that the tumor mainly was consisted of adipose tissue, capillaries, and spindle cells in the fibrous stroma. Immunohistochemistry showed the positive expression of CD31, CD34, α-SMA, GLUT1 and WT-1 in the tumor tissue, and the tumor was eventually diagnosed as an infantile haemangioma. CONCLUSION: The final diagnosis of infantile hemangioma was depended on the histopathological immunohistochemical and CT examination of the neoplastic tissue. This is the first report of infantile hemangioma in a critically endangered species Chinese pangolin.

Intestinal hemangiomas in 8 horses.

This retrospective study describes 8 cases of intestinal hemangioma diagnosed in horses during postmortem examination or surgical biopsy at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. In all cases, the intestine was the sole organ affected, and lesions were focal (3/8) or multifocal (5/8). Nodules were most commonly within the small intestine (7/8), particularly the jejunum (5/7). One case was in the left dorsal colon, which is the first report of hemangioma in the large colon of a horse. Lesions were discrete, raised, smooth, black to red, and ranged from 2 to 15 mm in diameter. Microscopically, all lesions were cavernous type and mural, most frequently within the muscularis (6/8). A majority of cases occurred in middle aged to older horses (average age of 19.3 years), and no breed or sex predilections were identified. The hemangiomas were considered incidental findings.

Granulation tissue-type hemangioma in a 6-week-old puppy - a case report.

BACKGROUND: Hemangioma is a well-known neoplasia in veterinary and human medicine. Several subtypes have been described and are distinguished based on their histologic appearance. The classification schemes of hemangiomas in human and veterinary medicine are different, and various purpose-based schemes can be found in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A six-week-old puppy was presented that suffered from a neoplasia that extended to the musculature of the hind limb. After surgical excision, the mass was submitted for pathohistological examination. The mass was composed of endothelial cells forming vascular slits admixed with a fibrous stroma and spindle cells. Immunohistological examination was positive for factor VIII-related antigen and smooth muscle actin, supporting the diagnosis of hemangioma. CONCLUSION: The final diagnosis of granulation tissue-type hemangioma was given due to the histological appearance of the neoplasia. Granulation tissue-type hemangioma is a rare subtype of hemangioma. In this case an uncommonly young dog was affected.

Gene expression profiles of beta-adrenergic receptors in canine vascular tumors: a preliminary study.

Beta adrenergic receptors (ß-AR) play a key role in regulating several hallmark pathways of both benign and malignant human and canine tumors. There is scarce information on the expression of ß-AR in canine vascular tumors. Therefore, the purpose of the present research work was to study the mRNA expression levels of the three subtypes of the ß-AR genes (ADRB1, ADRB2, ADRB3) in hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and hemangioma (HA), as well as in vascular hamartomas (VH) from dogs.Fifty samples (n = 50) were obtained from 38 dogs. Twenty-three animals had HSA, eight animals HA and seven animals VH. HSA were auricular (n = 8), splenic (n = 5), cutaneous (n = 6), auricular and splenic (n = 2), cutaneous-muscular (n = 1) and disseminated (n = 1). There were seven cases of HSA that were divided into primary tumor and secondary (metastatic) tumor. Skin and muscle samples with a normal histological study were used as control group. ADRB gene expression was determinate in all samples by real-time quantitative PCR. Results showed that ADRB1, ADRB2 and ADRB3 were overexpressed in HSA when compared to the control group. ADRB2 was overexpressed in HA when compared to the control group. HSA express higher values of ADBR1 (p = 0.0178) compared to VH. There was a high inter-individual variability in the expression of the three subtypes of ADBR. No statistically significant difference in the expression of ADBR genes were observed between HSA primary when compared to metastatic or in different anatomical locations. In conclusion, canine HSA overexpress the three ß-AR subtypes and canine HA ß2-AR. High variability was observed in ß-AR mRNA levels amongst HSA cases.

Intracranial Virotherapy for a Canine Hemangioma.

Intracranial hemangiomas are rare neoplastic lesions in dogs that usually appear with life-threatening symptoms. The treatment of choice is tumor resection; however, complete resection is rarely achieved. The patient's prognosis therefore usually worsens due to tumor progression, and adjuvant treatments are required to control the disease. Oncolytic viruses are an innovative approach that lyses the tumor cells and induces immune responses. Here, we report the intratumoral inoculation of ICOCAV15 (an oncolytic adenovirus) in a canine intracranial hemangioma, as adjuvant treatment for incomplete tumor resection. The canine patient showed no side effects, and the tumor volume decreased over the 12 months after the treatment, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging using volumetric criteria. When progressive disease was detected at month 18, a new dose of ICOCAV15 was administered. The patient died 31.9 months after the first inoculation of the oncolytic adenovirus. Furthermore, tumor-infiltrated immune cells increased in number after the viral administrations, suggesting tumor microenvironment activation. The increased number of infiltrated immune cells, the long survival time and the absence of side effects suggest that ICOCAV15 could be a safe and effective treatment and should be further explored as a novel therapy for canine hemangiomas.

A Review of Proliferative Vascular Disorders of the Central Nervous System of Animals.

In disease, blood vessel proliferation has many salient roles including in inflammation, when granulation tissue fills superficial defects, or in the recanalization of an occluded blood vessel. Sometimes angiogenesis goes awry-granulation can be exuberant, and plexiform proliferation of vascular components can contribute to pulmonary hypertension. This review focuses on the diverse manifestations of pathologic vascular overgrowth that occur in the brain, spinal cord, and meninges of animals from birth until old age. Entities discussed include systemic reactive angioendotheliomatosis in which glomeruloid vascular proliferations are encountered in various organs including the central nervous system (CNS). The triad of CNS vascular malformations, hamartomas, and benign vascular proliferations are an especially fraught category in which terminology overlap and the microscopic similarity of various disorders makes diagnostic classification incredibly challenging. Pathologists commonly take refuge in "CNS vascular hamartoma" despite the lack of any unique histopathologic features and we recommend that this diagnostic category be abandoned. Malformative lesions that are often confusing and have similar features; the conditions include arteriovenous malformation, cavernous angioma, venous angioma, and capillary telangiectases. Meningioangiomatosis, a benign meningovascular proliferation with dual components, is a unique entity seen most commonly in young dogs. Last, accepted neoplastic conditions range from lower-grade locally acquired growths like hemangioblastoma (a tumor of mysterious interstitial stromal cells encountered in the setting of abundant capillary vasculature proliferation), the rare hemangioendothelioma, and the highly malignant and invariably multifocal metastatic hemangiosarcoma. Additionally, this review draws on the comparative medical literature for further insights into this problematic topic in pathology.

Surgical treatment of conjunctival hemangioma and hemangiosarcoma: A retrospective study of 52 dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To review cases of canine conjunctival hemangioma (HA) and hemangiosarcoma (HSA) treated surgically at a referral center to establish success of surgical management, recurrence rates, and long-term outcomes for patients. ANIMALS STUDIED: Retrospective record review of dogs that underwent surgery to remove histologically diagnosed conjunctival HA or HSA between April 2004 and April 2020 to collect data on signalment, tumor location, interval between initial presentation and surgery, tumor diagnosis, surgical dose, surgical margins, tumor size, recurrence and survival times. RESULTS: A total of 52 dogs (60 tumors) were included. The mean age of affected dogs was 8.69 years; the most affected breed was the Border collie (n = 13, 25%). 28 tumors were HA (46.67%) and 32 HSA (53.33%). Tumors occurred in three locations: the lateral bulbar conjunctiva (n = 37, 61.67%), the third eyelid margin (n = 19, 31.67%), and the ventral conjunctival fornix (n = 4, 6.67%). There was no site predilection for HA versus HSA. 97% of tumors occurred in non-pigmented tissue. Corneal invasion was more likely to be a feature of malignant tumors. Five tumors were incompletely excised, one of which recurred. There was no statistical difference in likelihood of incomplete excision between HSA and HA. Six tumors (10%) recurred. HSA was not statistically more likely to recur than HA. Recurrence times ranged from 5 weeks to 1 year. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of conjunctival HA and HSA is likely to be curative. There is a recurrence rate of 10% regardless of tumor type, and recurrence may be late in the course of the disease.

Serum angiopoietin-2 levels in dogs with splenic haemangiosarcoma, haemangioma, and splenitis.

Haemangioma (HA) and haemangiosarcoma (HSA) are among the most common splenic neoplasms in dogs. The survival time in splenic HSA is short, probably due to the lack of proper biological markers allowing early detection. We investigated the serum angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) concentrations in 9 healthy dogs and 40 dogs with abnormal splenic masses. The Ang-2 concentration differences were further compared in healthy dogs, dogs with splenitis, splenic HA and HSA. The results showed that the Ang-2 level in healthy dogs was significantly lower than in the splenitis and splenic HA cases. Moreover, the Ang-2 level was significantly higher in splenic HA than in splenic HSA. Conversely, no significant differences in Ang-2 level were recorded between healthy and splenic HSA dogs, and between splenitis and splenic neoplasms (HA and HSA). No significant correlations were observed between the Ang-2 level and (i) the clinical stage, (ii) histological growth pattern, and (iii) median survival time of splenic HSA dogs. In conclusion, serum Ang-2 concentration is a potentially useful biological marker for the discrimination of dogs with splenitis and splenic HA, as well as for the differentiation of splenic HA from its malignant form, HSA.

Immunohistochemical detection of p53 and pp53 Ser392 in canine hemangiomas and hemangiosarcomas located in the skin.

BACKGROUND: p53 protein is essential for the regulation of cell proliferation. Aberrant accumulation of it usually occurs in cutaneous malignancies. Mutant p53 is detected by immunohistochemistry because it is more stable than the wild-type p53. However, post-translational modifications of p53 in response to ultraviolet radiation are important mechanisms of wild-type p53 stabilization, leading to positive staining in the absence of mutation. The aims were: 1) to analyze the immunohistochemical expression of p53 and phospho-p53 Serine392 in canine skin endothelial tumours; and 2) to determine if any relationship exists between p53 and phospho-p53 Serine392 overexpression and cell proliferation. RESULTS: p53 and phospho-p53 Serine392 immunolabeling was examined in 40 canine cutaneous endothelial tumours (13 hemangiomas and 27 hemangiosarcomas). Their expression was associated with tumour size, hemangiosarcoma stage (dermal versus hypodermal), histological diagnosis and proliferative activity (mitotic count and Ki-67 index). Statistical analysis revealed a significant increase of p53 immunoreactivity in hemangiosarcomas (median, 74.61%; interquartile range [IQR], 66.97-82.98%) versus hemangiomas (median, 0%; IQR, 0-20.91%) (p < .001) and in well-differentiated hemangiosarcomas (median, 82.40%; IQR, 66.49-83.17%) versus hemangiomas (p = .002). Phospho-p53 Serine392 immunoreactivity was significantly higher in hemangiosarcomas (median, 53.80%; IQR, 0-69.50%) than in hemangiomas (median, 0%; IQR, 0.0%) (p < .001). Positive correlation of the overexpression of p53 and phospho-p53 Serine392 with mitotic count and Ki-67 index was found in the cutaneous vascular tumours (p < .001). The Ki-67 index of the hemangiomas (median, 0.50%; IQR, 0-2.80%) was significantly lower than that of the hemangiosarcomas (median, 34.85%; IQR, 23.88-42.33%) (p < .001), and that specifically of well-differentiated hemangiosarcomas (median, 24.60%; IQR, 15.45-39.35%) (p = .001). Immunolabeling of 18 visceral hemangiosarcomas showed that the p53 (median, 41.59%; IQR, 26.89-64.87%) and phospho-p53 Serine392 (median, 0%; IQR, 0-22.53%) indexes were significantly lower than those of skin (p = .001; p = .006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The p53 and phospho-p53 Serine392overexpression together with high proliferative activity in hemangiosarcomas versus hemangiomas indicated that p53 might play a role in the acquisition of malignant phenotypes in cutaneous endothelial neoplasms in dogs. The Ki-67 index may be useful in distinguishing canine well-differentiated hemangiosarcomas from hemangiomas.

Remission after complete excision of an intramedullary hemangioma with an identifiable tumor plane in a dog.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of an identifiable tumor plane (ITP) during myelotomy to excise an intramedullary hemangioma in a dog and report the outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. ANIMALS: One 5.5-year-old 42.9-kg spayed female Leonberger dog. METHODS: Clinical signs included progressive proprioceptive deficits of both pelvic limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging was consistent with a dorsal intramedullary mass at L3-L4. A laminectomy of the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae provided access for dorsal myelotomy. A clear surgical ITP was identified between the intramedullary mass and the spinal cord facilitating complete surgical resection. RESULTS: Histopathological examination was consistent with a hemangioma. Postoperative MRI was consistent with complete excision of the mass. No evidence of recurrence was found by MRI at 3 months and at 22 months after surgery. Mild proprioceptive deficits persisted in the right pelvic limb. CONCLUSION: A clear ITP was present, and gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved without significant morbidity. Persistent clinical remission resulted from surgery as the sole therapy. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: For an intramedullary tumor, GTR is the absence of visible tumor on intraoperative inspection combined with the absence of intramedullary contrast enhancement on postoperative MRI. When an ITP is present, GTR and resultant long-term remission may be more likely.

Mutations in and Expression of the Tumor Suppressor Gene p53 in Egg-Type Chickens Infected With Subgroup J Avian Leukosis Virus.

To investigate the molecular mechanisms of the oncogenic effects of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J), we examined mutations in and the expression of p53 in the myelocytomas distributed in the liver, spleen, trachea, and bone marrow, as well as in fibrosarcomas in the abdominal cavity and hemangiomas in skin from chickens that were naturally or experimentally infected with ALV-J. Two types of mutations in the p53 gene were detected in myelocytomas of both the experimentally infected and the naturally infected chickens and included point mutations and deletions. Two of the point mutations have not been reported previously. Partial complementary DNA clones with a 122-bp deletion in the p53 gene ORF and a 15-bp deletion in the C-terminus were identified in the myelocytomas. In addition, moderate expression of the mutant p53 protein was detected in the myelocytomas that were distributed in the liver, trachea, spleen, and bone marrow. Mutant p53 protein was not detected in the subcutaneous hemangiomas or in the abdominal fibrosarcomas associated with natural and experimental ALV-J infection, respectively. These results identify mutations associated with abnormal expression of p53 in ALV-J-associated myelocytomas, suggesting a role in tumorigenesis.

Verrucous hemangioma with pseudoepitheliomatous epidermal hyperplasia in an adult horse.

Verrucous hemangiomas are a rare specific variant of equine skin tumors not well described in the literature. An 8-year-old gelding presented a unilateral lesion on the pastern. Macroscopically, the mass showed a warty and verrucous surface with focal ulcerations. The histology showed a dermal proliferation of endothelial-layered capillaries and venules separated by a delicate stroma of scant fibroblasts and collagen deposition, with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia (exuberant reactive irregular epithelial hyperplasia with tongue-like projections extending into the dermis, mimicking downgrowth of squamous cell carcinoma) and orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis of the overlying epidermis. The immunohistochemical study confirmed the endothelial origin of the tumor, and a final diagnosis of verrucous hemangioma with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia was confirmed. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first detailed description of this entity in adult horses. Moreover, the clinical progression and epidermal changes have not been previously reported, emphasizing the importance of a pathological study of any epithelial preneoplastic lesion to rule out an underlying dermal neoplasia.

Scrotal tumors in dogs: a retrospective study of 676 cases (1986-2010).

The objective of this study was to determine common tumor types that occur on the canine scrotum in relation to other cutaneous locations and to identify potential risk factors for specific scrotal tumor development. A retrospective study was conducted and the database of pathology reports from the Surgical Pathology Service of the Department of Pathology and Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania from 1986 to 2010 was searched for canine neoplastic scrotal and non-scrotal cutaneous lesions. Neoplastic lesions were evaluated based on diagnosis, breed, age, and number and location of tumors (scrotal versus non-scrotal cutaneous). Mast cell tumor, melanocytoma, malignant melanoma, vascular hamartoma, hemangiosarcoma, hemangioma, and cutaneous histiocytoma were the most common tumor types identified on the canine scrotum. Breed predispositions and mean age at diagnosis were identified for each tumor type and should be considered when planning surgical excision of a canine scrotal tumor.

Tumeurs scrotales chez les chiens : étude rétrospective de 676 cas (1986­2010). Cette étude avait pour objectif de déterminer les types communs de tumeurs qui se produisent sur le scrotum canin par rapport à d'autres endroits cutanés et d'identifier les facteurs de risque potentiels pour le développement de tumeurs scrotales spécifiques. Une étude rétrospective a été réalisée et une recherche a été effectuée dans la base de données des rapports de pathologie du Service de pathologie chirurgicale du Département de pathologie et de toxicologie de l'École de médecine vétérinaire de l'Université de la Pennsylvanie de 1986 à 2010 pour les lésions scrotales néoplasiques et les lésions cutanées non scrotales canines. Les lésions néoplasiques ont été évaluées en fonction du diagnostic, de la race, de l'âge ainsi que du nombre et de l'emplacement des tumeurs (scrotales par opposition à cutanées non scrotales). Les tumeurs à mastocytes, les mélanocytomes, les mélanomes malins, les hamartomes vasculaires, les hémangiosarcomes, les hémangiomes et les histiocytomes cutanés étaient les types les plus communs de tumeurs identifiées sur le scrotum canin. Les prédispositions des races et l'âge moyen lors du diagnostic ont été identifiés pour chaque type de tumeur et devraient être considérés lors de la planification de l'excision chirurgicale d'une tumeur scrotale canine.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Malignant transformation of an intraparenchymal hemangioma in the cervical spinal cord of a German shepherd dog.

An 8-year-old female spayed German shepherd dog was presented for evaluation of a 1-week history of right thoracic limb monoparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified an intraparenchymal, T2 hypointense and T1 isointense, strongly heterogeneously contrast-enhancing mass with moderate internal susceptibility artifact on T2* images at the level of the cranial extent of the C5 vertebral body. Euthanasia was elected after a rapid neurologic decline in the 24 hours after MRI. Necropsy and histopathology identified an intraparenchymal hemangiosarcoma arising from a hemangioma in the cervical spinal cord, with no evidence of neoplastic disease in any other examined organs. The spectrum of vasoproliferative disorders in the central nervous system in veterinary species has been codified recently, but hemangiosarcoma is considered metastatic to the central nervous system. Herein we describe the clinical, imaging, and histologic findings in a dog with a novel primary location of hemangiosarcoma in the cervical spinal cord.

Capillary gingival hemangioma in a cat.

A 12-year-old spayed female American short-haired cat presented with a palatal gingival mass located between the right maxillary third incisor and the canine teeth. The mass was dark red and had a narrow attachment to the gingival margin of the canine tooth. The mass was completely removed by marginal excision and the histopathological diagnosis was a capillary hemangioma. The mass did not relapse until 1 year later; however, the tooth was extracted because of cervical resorption of the right maxillary canine immediately adjacent to the mass resection site. This report presents a rare case of the gingival hemangioma in a cat and the possibility of a causal relationship between the occurrence of external cervical tooth resorption and hemangioma resection.

Comparison of CD34, CD31, and factor VIII-related antigen immunohistochemical expression in feline vascular neoplasms and CD34 expression in feline nonvascular neoplasms.

The diagnosis of vascular neoplasms is often facilitated by the use of immunohistochemical markers such as factor VIII-related antigen, CD31, and CD34. However, the relative sensitivity and specificity of these markers have not been compared in cat vascular neoplasms. In this study, these 3 immunohistochemical markers were evaluated in 61 endothelial neoplasms (50 hemangiosarcomas and 11 hemangiomas) in 59 cats. All neoplasms were labeled by all 3 markers. CD34 had the highest average immunolabeling intensity in neoplastic endothelial cells. CD31 had the lowest average background labeling, followed by CD34 and factor VIII-related antigen, respectively. CD34 expression was also examined in 130 nonvascular neoplasms of cats; 14 of 62 epithelial neoplasms, 39 of 43 mesenchymal neoplasms, 8 of 23 leukocytic neoplasms, and 2 of 2 melanomas were positive. Given the broad expression of CD34 in mesenchymal neoplasms, this marker has limited diagnostic relevance for vascular neoplasms of cats.

Sequence analysis for the complete proviral genome of avian leukosis virus subgroup J associated with haemangiomas, leiomyosarcomas and myelomas in layer flocks.

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) can cause a variety of neoplasms, including mainly myeloid leukosis (myelocytomatosis) and nephromas. Other tumours, such as histiocytic sarcoma (HS), haemangiosarcoma and mesothelioma, may also develop. In a previous article we described a case in which myeloid leukosis, haemangiomas and leiomyosarcomas appeared simultaneously in a commercial layer flock with infection by ALV-J. The present research was completed to understand the molecular characteristics of the ALV-J strain that induced clinical myeloid leukosis, haemangiomas and leiomyosarcomas. Two strains of ALV-J (SDAU1001 and SDAU1002) were isolated and identified, and their full-length sequences were analysed. The complete genome nucleotide sequences of these two isolates were different in length, 7652 nt and 7636 nt, respectively. They shared 98.9% identity with each other, and 93.4% to 97.8% nucleotide identity to the reference ALV-J isolates. A 19-nucleotide repeat sequence was identified in the primer binding site (PBS) leader region of isolate SDAU1001. A base substitution mutation (base 15 C-T) in this insertion was identified. However, the identical insertion at the same site was not found in SDAU1002. The gag and pol genes of the two viruses were more conserved than the env gene. One key deletion in the E element was a common feature of SDAU1001 and SDAU1002. SDAU1001 and SDAU1002, possibly recombinants of ALV-J and another avian retrovirus, may share the same ancestor. Co-infection by SDAU1001 and SDAU1002 isolates is a possible explanation why myeloid leukosis, haemangiomas, and leiomyosarcomas appeared simultaneously in the same commercial layer flock.

Cardiac hemangioma in a corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus).

A 3-yr-old female corn snake, Pantherophis guttatus guttatus, was presented for clinical examination of anorexia and a coelomic mass. Radiographs and ultrasound demonstrated a fluid-filled mass in the cardiac region. Surgical exploration revealed an approximately 1.2-cm, round, multilobulated, fluid-filled, nodular lesion firmly attached to the left atrial wall. Resection was attempted but proved unsuccessful and the animal was euthanized. Histopathological examination of the lesion revealed a large cystic structure associated with a cluster of variably sized, vascular channels lined by a one-cell-thick layer of endothelium, consistent with a cardiac hemangioma of the left atrium. This, to the best of the authors' knowledge, is the first report of such an occurrence in a snake.

The immunohistochemical detection of peroxiredoxin 1 and 2 in canine spontaneous vascular endothelial tumors.

Peroxiredoxin (PRDX) is an antioxidant enzyme family with six isoforms (PRDX1-6). The main function of PRDXs is to decrease cellular oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide, to H2O. Recently, it has been reported that PRDXs are overexpressed in various malignant tumors in humans, and are involved in the development, proliferation, and metastasis of tumors. However, studies on the expression of PRDXs in tumors of animals are limited. Therefore, in the present study, we immunohistochemically investigated the expression of PRDX1 and 2 in spontaneous canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and hemangioma (HA), as well as in selected normal tissue and granulation tissue, including newly formed blood vessels. Although there were some exceptions, immunolocalization of PRDX1 and 2 in normal canine tissues was similar to those in humans, rats, or mice. In granulation tissue, angiogenic endothelial cells were strongly positive for PRDX1 and 2, whereas quiescent endothelial cells in mature vessels were negative. Both PRDX1 and 2 were significantly highly expressed in HSA compared to HA. There were no significant differences in the expression of PRDX1 and 2 among the subtypes and primary sites of HSA. These results suggest that PRDX1 and 2 may be involved in the angiogenic phenotypes of endothelial cells in granulation tissue as well as in the behavior in the malignant endothelial tumors.

Sequence analysis for the complete proviral genome of subgroup J Avian Leukosis virus associated with hemangioma: a special 11 bp deletion was observed in U3 region of 3'UTR.

BACKGROUND: Avian Leukosis virus (ALV) of subgroup J (ALV-J) belong to retroviruses, which could induce tumors in domestic and wild birds. Myelocytomatosis was the most common neoplasma observed in infected flocks; however, few cases of hemangioma caused by ALV-J were reported in recent year. RESULTS: An ALV-J strain SCDY1 associated with hemangioma was isolated and its proviral genomic sequences were determined. The full proviral sequence of SCDY1 was 7489 nt long. Homology analysis of the env, pol and gag gene between SCDY1 and other strains in GenBank were 90.3-94.2%, 96.6-97.6%, and 94.3-96.5% at nucleotide level, respectively; while 85.1-90.7%, 97.4-98.7%, and 96.2-98.4% at amino acid level, respectively. Alignment analysis of the genomic sequence of ALV-J strains by using HPRS-103 as reference showed that a special 11 bp deletion was observed in U3 region of 3'UTR of SCDY1 and another ALV-J strain NHH isolated from case of hemangioma, and the non-functional TM and E element were absent in the genome of SCDY1, but the transcriptional regulatory elements including C/EBP, E2BP, NFAP-1, CArG box and Y box were highly conserved. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all analyzed ALV-J strains could be separated into four groups, and SCDY1 as well as another strain NHH were included in the same cluster. CONCLUSION: The variation in envelope glycoprotein was higher than other genes. The genome sequence of SCDY1 has a close relationship with that of another ALV-J strain NHH isolated from case of hemangioma. A 11 bp deletion observed in U3 region of 3'UTR of genome of ALV-J isolated from case of hemangioma is interesting, which may be associated with the occurrence of hemangioma.