Sphenoid Wing Meningioma With Extraocular Muscle Involvement Mimicking Idiopathic Orbital Inflammation.

Meningiomas are slow growing, typically benign, tumors originating from arachnoid cap cells. Specifically, sphenoid wing or spheno-orbital meningiomas infiltrate the lesser wing of the sphenoid, lateral orbital wall, and orbital roof with occasional extension to the superior orbital fissure, optic canal, anterior clinoid process, and middle cranial fossa where neurologic and ophthalmologic functions are impaired by compressive injury. The extraocular muscles are rarely involved.

Neutrophil elastase is produced by pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells and is linked to neointimal lesions.

Previously, we reported that murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (M1-MHV-68) induces pulmonary artery (PA) neointimal lesions in S100A4-overexpressing, but not in wild-type (C57), mice. Lesions were associated with heightened lung elastase activity and PA elastin degradation. We now investigate a direct relationship between elastase and PA neointimal lesions, the nature and source of the enzyme, and its presence in clinical disease.