[Growth factors and apoptosis rate in an unusual chorangioma]

We describe an unusual type of cellular chorangioma with a high rate of proliferating cells and mitosis and high expression of the growth factor BFGF. The tumor was observed in the placenta of a 26-year-old gravida 1 with help syndrome. The pregnancy was terminated at 35+5 weeks by elective caesarean section. Chorangiomas are hamartoma malformations of the placenta which in some cases may be large enough to influence the course of pregnancy and associated complications are hydramnion, gestosis or hemorrhage. Complications for the fetus are due to hemodynamic alterations caused by the formation of an arteriovenous shunt. Because the histogenesis of the tumor is still unknown, we examined the expression of the growth factors VEGF and BFGF. The number of cells with an expression of VEGF in placental tissue and in the chorangioma was uniform, but the number of cells with an expression of BFGF was much higher in the chorangioma than in the placenta. We conclude that BFGF may have an influence on the growth of chorangiomas. There was no difference between the chorangioma and the placenta in the rate of apoptosis-inhibited cells.