Circulating Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Patients with Infantile Hemangioma: Evaluation of Their Functional Capacity and Gene Expression Profile.

We previously published that in patients with infantile hemangioma (IH) at the onset (T0) colony forming unit-fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) are present in in vitro cultures from PB. Herein, we characterize these CFU-Fs and investigate their potential role in IH pathogenesis, before and after propranolol therapy. The CFU-F phenotype (by flow cytometry), their differentiation capacity and ability to support angiogenesis (by in vitro cultures) and their gene expression (by RT-PCR) were evaluated. We found that CFU-Fs are actual circulating MSCs (cMSCs). In patients at T0, cMSCs had reduced adipogenic potential, supported the formation of tube-like structures in vitro and showed either inflammatory (IL1ß and ESM1) or angiogenic (F3) gene expression higher than that of cMSCs from CTRLs. In patients receiving one-year propranolol therapy, the cMSC differentiation in adipocytes improved, while their support in in vitro tube-like formation was lost; no difference was found between patient and CTRL cMSC gene expressions. In conclusion, in patients with IH at T0 the cMSC reduced adipogenic potential, their support in angiogenic activity and the inflammatory/angiogenic gene expression may fuel the tumor growth. One-year propranolol therapy modifies this picture, suggesting cMSCs as one of the drug targets.

Propranolol for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas: a nine-year monocentric experience from a tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: Propranolol is currently considered the first-line therapy for problematic infantile hemangiomas (IH), the most common benign vascular neoplasm of infancy. OBJECTIVES: We present a retrospective observational study aimed at assessing the efficacy of propranolol in 44 IH patients. MATERIALS & METHODS: A nine-year retrospective review considering clinicodemographical and therapy-related variables was performed on medical records of infants treated for IH with oral propranolol. Each lesion was assessed through a numeric severity score based on size and colour both at baseline and after treatment conclusion (p <0.05 was considered statistically significant). RESULTS: Complete remission was achieved in 90.7% cases of IH with a general mean improvement in severity of 94.94%. No severe adverse effects were reported. Preterm patients showed a superior response compared to term infants, even though the difference was not significant (p=0.185). CONCLUSION: Propranolol showed high efficacy in terms of safety profile and cosmetic results. Prematurity and precocious therapy could be linked to a superior response.

Scoliosis with peculiar radiological features in a patient with McCune-Albright syndrome.

Patients with McCune-Albright Syndrome (MAS) should always attend regular follow-up. Beside the endocrinological aspects, the screening must take into account osteoarticular complications such as scoliosis, even in patients without fibrous dysplasia.