AUTHOR=Siljee Sam , Keane Emily , Marsh Reginald , Brasch Helen D. , Tan Swee T. , Itinteang Tinte 

TITLE=Expression of the Components of the Renin–Angiotensin System in Venous Malformation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Surgery

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/surgery/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2016.00024

DOI=10.3389/fsurg.2016.00024

ISSN=2296-875X

ABSTRACT=<sec id="ST1"><title>Background</title><p>Venous malformation (VM) is the most common form of vascular malformation, consisting of a network of thin-walled ectatic venous channels with deficient or absent media. This study investigated the expression of the components of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS), namely, (pro)renin receptor (PRR), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin II receptor 1 (ATIIR1), and angiotensin II receptor 2 (AIITR2) in subcutaneous (SC) and intramuscular (IM) VM.</p></sec><sec id="ST2"><title>Materials and methods</title><p>SC (<italic>n</italic> = 7) and IM (<italic>n</italic> = 7) VM were analyzed for the expression of PRR, ACE, ATIIR1, and ATIIR2 using 3,3-diaminobenzidine and immunofluorescent (IF) immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and NanoString gene expression analysis.</p></sec><sec id="ST3"><title>Results</title><p>IHC staining showed expression of PRR, ACE, and ATIIR1, and faint expression of ATIIR2 in the endothelium of SC and IM VM. Furthermore, ATIIR2 was expressed by cells away from the endothelium in both SC and IM VM lesions examined. NanoString analysis demonstrated the presence of PRR, ACE, and ATIIR1 but not ATIIR2.</p></sec><sec id="ST4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>The presence of PRR, ACE, ATIIR1, and potentially ATIIR2, in both SC and IM VM, suggests a role for the RAS in the biology of VM. This novel finding may lead to a mechanism-based therapy for VM.</p></sec>