Abstract: Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of p63, p73 proteins and the development of hemangioma. Methods The immunohistochemical technique and quantitative image analysis were used to detect the expression of p63 and p73 proteins in 40 cases of capillary hemangioma and 20 specimens of normal skin. Results The absorbance value (mean±SD) of p63 and p73 expression in normal skin tissue, proliferative phase of hemangioma and involuting phase of hemangioma were 0.923±0.191 and 0.953±0.120, 8.271±1.953 and 6.408±2.151, 0.920±0.187 and 1.073±0.516, respectively. The expression of p63 and p73 in proliferative phase of hemangioma was significantly increased as compared with those in involuting phase of hemangioma and normal skin tissue (P<0.05), while no significant difference of p63 and p73 expression was observed between involuting phase of hemangioma and normal skin tissue (P>0.05). Conclusions It is suggested that p63 gene is not a tumor suppressor gene but an oncogene in hemangioma and may contribute to the proliferation of endothelial cell and be associated with angiogenesis, and p73 may play an important role in the proliferation of hemangioma.

Key words: Hemangioma, capillary, p63 gene, p73 gene