[VEGF, COX-2 and MVD in lesions of patients with condyloma acuminatum]

To determine the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the occurrence and development of condyloma acuminatum (CA).

The VEGF, COX-2, and microvascular density (MVD) in the lesions of 61 CA patients were detected with immunohistochemical SP method. Seventeen skin tissues from healthy men served as controls.

The CA patients had greater positive rate and field-strength scores of VEGF and COX-2 than the controls (P < 0.05). VEGF positively correlated with COX-2 in the CA lesions (r = 0.749, P < 0.05). With the increase of number and diameters of CA lesions, the field-strength scores of VEGF and COX-2 increased (P < 0.05). The positive rates and field-strength scores did not change with the courses of the CA disease (P > 0.05). The CA lesions also had greater MVD than the controls (P < 0.05). The CA lesions with positive VEGF and COX-2 had greater MVD than those with negative VEGF and COX-2 (P < 0.05). Both VEGF and COX-2 were positively correlated with MVD (r = 0.348 and 0.327 respectively, P < 0.05).

VEGF and COX-2 promote the abnormal angiogenesis and the cell proliferation in CA lesions, which accelerate the progress of wart lesions. The two factors have synergistic