Expression of the fibroblast/macrophage marker 1B10 by spindle cells in Kaposi's sarcoma lesions and by Kaposi's sarcoma-derived tumor cells

BACKGROUND: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a tumor whose ontogenic origin remains a matter of contention. KS tissues are characterized by predominant expression of endothelial markers, while KS-derived cell cultures are usually characterized by expression of mesenchymal non-endothelial cell markers. AIMS: In order to clarify the ontogenic origin of KS cells, we investigated the expression of the fibroblast/macrophage marker 1B10 in KS tissues (AIDS-associated KS, n = 9; classic KS, n = 6; iatrogenic KS, n = 6) and in KS-derived cell cultures. RESULTS: 1B10 was expressed by loosely distributed spindle-shaped cells in early 'patch-stage' KS and by a variable proportion of spindle cells in late 'plaque- and nodular-stage' KS. Using immunohistochemistry and immunoblot analysis, we found that, in vitro, reactivity for 1B10 was uniformly evidenced in fibroblasts and in KS-derived spindle cell cultures, irrespective of their histological or epidemiological setting. By contrast, vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells were negative for 1B10. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the KS spindle cells isolated in vitro may represent a particular subpopulation of the KS spindle cell compartment.