The researchers believe that pro-angiogenic factors are upregulated in a wide range of dermatologic diseases including port wine stains, hemangiomas, angiofibromas, Kaposi's sarcoma, angiosarcoma, scars, rosacea and psoriasis.
The researcher can perform immunohistochemistry and/or microarray analysis and/or quantitative polymerase chain reaction on previously biopsied skin specimens and newly biopsied skin specimens to evaluate the expression of various angiogenic factors in these dermatologic diseases.
In addition, some of the skin specimens may be utilized to make cell cultures to study expression of angiogenic factors and interactions of cells in dermatologic disease.
Previously or newly collected biospecimens from various dermatologic diseases including port wine stains, hemangiomas, angiofibromas, Kaposi's sarcoma, angiosarcoma, scars, rosacea and psoriasis will be evaluated for markers of angiogenesis. Additionally, researchers can use discarded human skin tissue samples from skin biopsy/surgery sites which are removed for closure but are not submitted for histopathologic analysis.
Currently, biospecimens prospectively collected are only from lesions with a known diagnosis: 1) port wine stains, hemangiomas, cherry angiomas, facial angiofibromas, scars and psoriasis these lesions are generally not biopsied for diagnosis or 2) previously biopsied and diagnosed other vascular lesions such as angiosarcomas and Kaposi's Sarcoma.
Specimens collected will be processed for microarray analysis, qPCR and/or immunohistochemistry performed to evaluate expression of various angiogenic factors and their receptors including: vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, angiopoietin 1, angiopoietin 2, matrix metalloproteinase, tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase I and thrombospondin-1, Angiotensin 2 receptor.
Additional, tissue samples will be used to isolate three cell types: endothelial cells, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. Tissue samples will be digested to isolate the cells which will be cultured separately and then incorporated into an in-vitro model to observe how blood vessels form in skin affected by port wine stains as compared to vessel growth in unaffected skin.