Differential pericyte marker expression in craniofacial benign and malignant vascular tumors

Background: Vascular anomalies and tumors are common in the head, neck, and craniofacial areas and are associated with abnormalities in the angiomatous architecture. However, the etiology and molecular basis for the pathogenesis of most vascular lesions are still unknown. Pericytes are mural cells that surround endothelial cells. Besides angiogenesis and other physiological functions, pericytes play an important role in vascularized tissue repair and as resident mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells. Perivascular cells demonstrate a distinct immunohistochemical profile, including expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), CD146, CD105, and PDGFR beta, without endothelial differentiation (absence of CD31 and CD34 immunoreactivity). These pericyte markers have been shown to be expressed in soft tissue hemangiomas. However, they have not been fully examined in intraosseous hemangiomas. Methods: In this study, we compared mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) expression of CD146 and alpha-SMA markers in pericytes from hemangiomas from different tissues and malignant vascular tumors. Results: The results demonstrated an increased expression of pericyte markers in perivascular cells of benign hemangiomas, especially intraosseous hemangiomas and a significantly reduced expression of pericyte markers in malignant angiosarcomas. Conclusion: The evidence provides insight into the function of pericytes in vascular tumors and suggests their role in vascular tumor disease types.

Automated summary

This study investigated vascular tumors and found that pericyte markers were increased in perivascular cells of benign hemangiomas, especially intraosseous hemangiomas. In contrast, pericyte markers were significantly reduced in malignant angiosarcomas. These results provide insights into the function of pericytes in vascular tumors and their role in different types of vascular tumor diseases.