Expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) by cultured angiofibroma stroma cells from patients with tuberous sclerosis

Large dendritic cells were cultured from facial angiofibromas of six patients with tuberous sclerosis. The cells were examined immunocytochemically for expression of selected cytoskeletal and non-structural proteins and the results compared with the staining profiles obtained with normal skin fibroblasts and normal glial cells. In similarity to normal glia, the angiofibroma stroma cells expressed glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Conversely, by analogy to fibroblasts, the abnormal stroma cells produced fibronectin and did not react with the antibody to S-100 protein. By immunogold labelling it was established that GFAP and vimentin were co-localized in intermediate filaments of the angiofibroma cells.