Angiogenesis and vasodilation in skin warts. Association with HPV infection

Background: Angiogenesis is required for tumour growth. Since human papillo mavirus (HPV) infection is associated with the development of neoplastic le sions, the aim of this study was to determine the possible association betw een HPV infection and angiogenesis in benign tumours. Materials and Methods : Specimens of skin warts which were either negative for HPV types 1, 2, 3 and 4 (HPV-ve; n=15), ol positive for HPV2 (HPV+ve; n=19) were compared wit h normal skin (NS, n=10). Vascularity and inflammation were assessed in con secutive sections, vWF-positive blood vessels were classified as small or l arge using a cut-off value of 50 mum diameter: Results: Vascularity values for small vessels increased significantly from NS to HPV-ve warts and from HPV-ve to HPV+ve warts. Large vessels were found only in warts and their ab undance was not related to HPV status. No significant association was found between vascularity and inflammation or between vascularity values for sma ll and large vessels. Conclusions: The development of skin warts is accompa nied by angiogenesis and vasodilation and these two processes may be indepe ndently regulated. Further increased angiogenesis, but not vasodilation, is associated with the presence of HPV type 2 DNA.