Background: Long-term voice-abuse or sudden vocal fold microvascular disruption can lead to injury and subsequent repair/remodeling of the vocal fold mucosa. Periostin is known to be involved in airway remodeling and in various otolaryngological diseases. In ischemic heart disease, increased CD31 expression has been observed around cardiomyocytes during remodeling, and endothelial proliferation has been reported to occur at these sites.
Objectives: We investigated the expression and the roles of CD31, CD34, and periostin in the formation of vocal fold polyps.
Materials and methods: Fifty-seven samples of vocal fold polyps were investigate histopathologically and immunohistochemically.
Result: Expression of CD31 and CD34 was detected in 41 (71.9%) and 53 (93.0%) samples, respectively, obtained from patients with vocal fold polyp. Expression of periostin was detected in 41 (71.9%) samples obtained from patients with vocal polyps. The vocal polyp samples could be classified into three histological subtypes. Three patterns of CD31 and CD34 expression were observed in the vocal polyp. Four patterns of periostin expression were observed in vocal polyps. An association was observed between the CD31 expression pattern and the histological subtype of vocal fold polyps.
Conclusion and significance: In vocal fold polyps, evaluation of vascular endothelial markers may be useful for staging.
Keywords: CD31; CD34; Vocal fold polyp; periostin.