RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis and vasodilatation are reported associated with the development of verruca vulgaris, yet vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression was not detected in the lesions of common warts. Angiopoietins, as angiogenesis factors, have not been studied before in warts. OBJECTIVES: To assess tissue expression of angiopoietin 1 (Ang1), angiopoietin 2 (Ang2), and their receptor Tie2 in the lesions of common warts to try to identify their role as pro-angiogenic factors in the development of these lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with common skin warts and 50 age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. Four millimeter punch skin biopsies were taken from warts and from normal skin of controls for the detection of gene expression of Ang1, Ang2, and Tie2 using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The mean levels of Ang1, Ang2, and Tie2 were significantly higher in the lesions of common warts compared to the normal skin of controls (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Upregulation of Ang1, Ang2, and Tie2 seems to play a possible role in the angiogenesis associated with common skin warts.