A translocation involving the placental growth factor gene is identified in an epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

• Published in: Cancer genetics and cytogenetics 2006-07, Vol.168 (2), p.150-154
• Main Authors: He, Mai, Das, Kasturi, Blacksin, Marcia, Benevenia, Joseph, Hameed, Meera
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10 - genetics; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14 - genetics; Female; Foot Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid - genetics; Humans; Middle Aged; Placenta Growth Factor; Pregnancy Proteins - genetics; Pregnancy Proteins - metabolism; Radiography; Translocation, Genetic; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; Vascular Neoplasms - genetics; Vascular Neoplasms - pathology
• ISSN: 0165-4608; 1873-4456
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergencyto.2006.02.010

Hemangioendothelioma is a relatively rare vascular tumor that is considered a low- to intermediate-grade malignant neoplasm. Cytogenetic reports of hemangioendothelioma are rare. Two reports with translocations involving chromosomes 1 and 3 have been described. Here we report a case of an epithelioid hemangioendothelioma arising in the foot of a 56-year-old female, with a 46,XX,-6,t(10;14)(p13;q24),+r. The regions in 10p13 and 14q24 encompass genes that participate in growth regulation. One of the genes at 14q24 encodes for placental growth factor [PlGF, also called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-related protein]. Placental growth factor is a member of the VEGF growth factor family. Placenta growth factor binds only to VEGF receptor-1 (FLT-1). It has been suggested that PlGF may modulate VEGF-induced angiogenesis by the formation of PlGF/VEGF heterodimers in cells producing both factors. It has been postulated that PlGF is involved in intra- and intermolecular cross-talk between VEGF receptor-1 (FLT) and receptor-2 (FLK-1/KDR). Since expression of VEGF and its receptor, FLK-1, is seen in several cases of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma and plasma VEGF level is also used to follow-up this tumor, we performed immunohistochemical analysis for PlGF and VEGF in our case. The strong positivity for both PlGF and VEGF observed in our case implies that the t(10;14)(p13;q24) most likely involves PlGF, which may be one of the genes driving oncogenesis in these tumors.