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Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multifactorial connective tissue disease characterized by excessive and progressive fibrosis along with microvasculopathy due to poor vascular formation and repair. Despite a general increase in many potent angiogenic factors, the vasculopathy compensatory angiogenesis and vasculogenesis are impaired. In this review, we discuss the role of proangiogenic factors - VEGF, PlGF, endoglin, PDGF, endothelin-1, angiopoietins, SDF-1, uPAR - and the paradoxical paucity of an inadequate angiogenic response in SSc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular anomalies are divided according to the contemporary system of classification into two groups: tumors and malformations. However, there is no consensus on juvenile angiofibroma's place in that system. The general characteristics of selected markers of angiogenesis and tissue remodeling are presented in the series in the context of current knowledge in the field of pathophysiology of vascular lesions. The mentioned markers are currently the subjects of multidirectional studies in oncology, as they take part in the process of neoangiogenesis and proliferation of tumors. Nevertheless, they have not been widely examined in vascular lesions. The indirect goal of that series is to indicate the possible research direction on vascular lesions to determine their molecular profile, to create a more specific system of classification, and above all to develop new diagnostic and treatment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome that occurs after the 20 weeks of pregnancy and is characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. It complicates approximately 5-6% of all pregnancies and is a major factor in fetal and neonatal mortality, Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum concentration of soluble endoglin (sEng) as the predictor of preeclampsia in pregnant women with hypertension., Material and Methods: The study was conducted at the Department of Pathology of Pregnancy (Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Lodz), and the clinical ambulatory of the WSSz--M. Madurowicz (at present, WSSz--M. Pirogow) in Lodz, between 2008-2012. The Committee of Bioethics, Medical University of Lodz approved of the research (RNN/106/08/KE, May 20, 2008). The study included 86 pregnant women, between 25 and 40 weeks of pregnancy The subjects were divided into 3 groups: - Group HA--33 pregnant women with hypertension arterialis (> 140/90 mmHg) without proteinuria, --Group P--21 pregnant women with hypertension arterialis (>140/90 mmHg) with proteinuria, --Group K--32 pregnant women with normal blood pressure (< 140/90 mmHg) without proteinuria. Markings were determined with the ELISA method, using Quantikine kit., Results: A significantly higher value of endoglin levels were found in pregnant women with preeclampsia syndrome (P) than in women with hypertension (HA) and the control group (K). Levels of endoglin in the P group was 29.70 pg/ml, 19.54 pg/ml in the HA group and 12.99 pg/ml in the K group., Conclusions: Elevated serum concentration of soluble endoglin (SENG) in pregnant women constitutes a risk factor for preeclampsia.

Blood vascular supply significantly affects progression of tumor growth. Inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation by antiangiogenic drugs should lead to growth arrest of both primary tumors and metastases. During the course of lengthy therapy, endothelial cells may, however, become refractory to the action of antiangiogenic agents. Novel approaches to anticancer treatment should explore the issue of drug resistance shown by endothelial cells. One possible therapeutic solution might be tumor immunotherapy directed against antigens expressed on the surface of endothelial cells which co-form tumor blood vasculature. Such therapy is supposed to break immune tolerance to own antigens and to eliminate tumor blood vessel endothelial cells by activating cytotoxic T lymphocytes. This kind of response can be obtained against endoglin (CD105). Endoglin is overexpressed in proliferating endothelial cells which line tumor blood vessels. Presence of endoglin in solid tumor blood vessels has prognostic value in cancer treatment. CD105 is also expressed by certain cancer cells (prostate, melanoma and Ewing sarcoma). It appears that therapeutic strategies directed against endoglin allow several mechanisms of resistance to antiangiogenic drugs to be omitted. The therapeutic approach that we propose, i.e. a tumor blood vessel-destroying strategy combined with immunotherapy, may become an effective therapeutic tool.

Intensity of neoangiogenesis depends on relationship between factors that are responsible for stimulation and inhibition of this process. The intensity of neoangiogenesis could be assessed by the microvasculature density (MVD). Recent reports highlight the role of glycoprotein CD105 (endoglin) in the neoangiogenesis. CD105 is a transmembrane glycoprotein, which is a receptor for transforming growth factor. CD105 is overexpressed in the endothelium of blood vessels of tissues, particularly in de novo formed blood vessels within tumor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microvesseldensity by changes in CD105 expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Expression of CD105 protein was performed using automated morphometric methods. New blood vessels density was demonstrated by CD105 expression as (MDV/CD105), and performed using the authors' "macro" function based on 'color deconvolation' and 'manual threshold" in the ImageJ program. Analysis of average microvessel density was performed in three hot spots, and includes the area of positively stained endothelial cells (0-100), level of CD105 expression (0-255). We have correlated the staining patterns with clinicopathological data. Analysis of CD105 expression revealed higher values MVD/CD105 in squamous cell carcinoma than in normal mucosa 115.44 vs. 55.83. Moreover, microvessel density was higher in N(+) group MVD/CD105 = 144.72 (SD = 104.15) than in the N(0) group MVD/CD105 80.44 (SD = 68.57). Analysis of correlation of CD105 expression in N(0) vs. N(+) demonstrated a statistically significant difference (p = 0.000007). MVD/CD105 may be important prognostic factor in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Introduction: One of the most commonly assessed angiogenesis markers is microvessel density which is determined on the bases of specific endothelial antigen expression (CD34, CD105). Angiogenesis modulators include growth factors and their receptors (EGFR), proteases and their inhibitors, oncogenes and suppressor genes (p53)., Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether there are any differences in selected angiogenesis markers and modulators expressions in ovarian cancer patients with different menopause status., Material and Methods: The study included 100 women, age 30-70, who underwent surgical treatment due to ovarian cancer. As far as their menopause status was concerned, the women were divided into three groups: pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal. Microvessel density was assessed on the basis of CD34 (MVD(CD34) and CD 105 (MVD(CD105) expression. Additionally, tumor tissue p53 protein and EGFR expression were investigated. Active EGFR form in blood serum samples of cancer patients was assessed before the surgery., Results: Microvessel density, assessed on the basis of CD34 and CD105 expression, as well as p53 and EGFR expression were similar in all three groups of patients. Active EGFR serum concentration in women with ovarian cancer did not prove to be significantly different and did not depend on the menopause status., Conclusion: Intensity of the angiogenesis process does not depend on the menopausal status of women and is similar in pre-, peri- and postmenopausal patients.

Introduction: Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) known also as Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by localized angiodysplasia due to mutations in ENG (endoglin, 9q34.1) or ALK-1 gene (the activin receptor-like kinase 1, 12q13). ENG and ALK-1 are found associated with two disease subtypes designated as HHT1 and HHT2, respectively. Subtype HHT1 remains in the frame of interest of laryngology because of frequent bleeding in head and neck region., Material and Method: The study was designed to identify a genetic background in a large family (29 individuals) with diagnosed HHT. Pedigree analysis showed autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. Study design comprised segregation analysis to determine locus with subsequent direct sequencing of the gene. Four microsatelite markers (d9s61, d9s65, d12s368, d12s347) with high frequency of heterozygosity in population study were used., Results: The results concerning heterozygosity ranged from 15% to 53%. The established differences were not sufficient enough to indicate co-segregation of the studied loci. DNA sequence analysis in exon 11 of ENG gene did not reveal mutations. The latter result could be explained by an occurrence of mutations in other exons of ENG., Conclusions: The study requires continuation for gene identification and precise genotype-phenotype correlation aiming for an improvement of HHT1 therapy.

TGF beta signalling pathways apart from receptors, their ligands and intracellular effectors consist of proteins capable to bind ligands which are not classical receptors. They do not transmit the signal directly into the cell but by their interaction with TGF beta family factors and TGF beta type I and II receptors can influence TGF beta cascade activity. There are three proteins characterised by such features i.e., betaglycan (TGF beta RIII), endoglin (CD105) and antigen CD109 which are commonly called as TGF beta accessory/auxiliary receptors or TGF beta type III receptors. Their key function is to modulate accessibility of ligands to TGF beta type I and II receptors. The role of TGF beta accessory receptors has been well documented for signal transduction via TGF beta isoforms--TGF beta 1, TGF beta 2 and TGF beta 3. Each TGF beta accessory receptor has different TGF beta isoforms binding specificity and cellular response character. TGF beta cascade is the only known cellular signalling pathway for which accessory receptors are identified until now.

Unlabelled: The antigen of endothelial cell which are the exponent of microvessels density in cancer tumor as CD31, CD34 and CD105 are the most common analysed markers of angiogenesis. The aim of the work was to analyse the expression of CD31, CD34 and CD105 antigens--three basic markers of microvessel density in ovarian cancer., Material and Methods: The material included 80 patients with ovarian carcinoma, treated between 1996 and 2001 in Department of Oncology Gynecology of Lower Silesian Centre of Oncology. The median of age was 54.4 years. Most of analyzed cases (n = 53) were serum ovarian carcinoma in III and IV FIGO stage., Results: The correlations between microvessel density (MVD) and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. We have stated that in patients younger than 50 years the microvessel density was lower. This correlation was statistically significant in the estimation of MVD by CD31 and CD34 expression and close to statistically significant by marked CD105 expression. In patients with time of menopause that occurred before 46 years of age, microvessel density marked with CD105 expression was significantly higher and close to significance in CD31 marker., Conclusions: Cox analysis proved that independent risk factors of death in patients with ovarian cancer were: age over 50 years, low degree of patient performance according to WHO (World Health Organization) scale, high FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage and high expression of CD34 microvessel density.

Objective: Angiogenesis in malignant tumors is a prognostic factor associated with tumor growth and metastasis. The aim of the research was: determination of the angiodensity rate in two immunohistochemical techniques, estimation of the value of the examined parameter at different stages of clinical progression and histological differentiation of endometrial carcinoma, and analysis of the obtained values as prognostic factors in the disease process., Materials and Methods: The examination covered 86 women treated surgically for endometrial carcinoma. The preliminary histological evaluation was followed by immunohistochemical methods. The microvessels within the invasive cancer were highlighted by means of immuno-cytochemical staining to detect CD-31 and CD-105 antigen. The average value of angiodesity was estimated by means of a computer image analyser., Results: The group of patients at the preinvasive stage of the disease manifested significantly statistically lower values of angiodensity. It was detected that the histological differentiation of carcinoma does not influence intensification of angiogenesis. Higher values of this parameter have an adverse influence on the survival rate., Conclusion: The evaluation of the angiodensity coefficient can be a helpful prognostic parameter in endometrial carcinoma.