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Alpha‐v‐beta3 integrin expression in melanocytic nevi and cutaneous melanoma
Author(s) -
Neto Dante Simionato,
Pantaleão Luciana,
De Sá Bianca Costa Soares,
Landman Gilles
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0560.2007.00730.x
Subject(s) - melanoma , pathology , medicine , tissue microarray , nevus , immunohistochemistry , cancer research
Background: Alpha‐v‐beta3 integrin (αvβ3) is a vitronectin ligand and plays an important role in melanoma progression. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the expression of αvβ3 in superficial spreading cutaneous melanoma, in both conventional and tissue microarray (TMA) paraffin‐embedded‐tissue specimens, and correlate with histopathological variables and patient survival. Material and methods: A total of 159 tissue samples from compound nevi (n = 19), in situ melanoma (n = 5), thin melanoma (n = 34), thick melanoma (n = 72) and metastatic melanoma (n = 29) were studied. Results: Compound nevus epithelioid cells had a mild expression of αvβ3. In situ melanoma cells had the highest expression among all specimens, when compared to nevi (p = 0.0000) and to invasive melanoma (p = 0.0003). Expression of αvβ3 did not differ according to depth of invasion or did it increase in metastatic cells. Conclusion: Our results suggested that αvβ3 integrin might have no impact on melanoma behavior. However, high levels of αvβ3‐integrin expression for in situ melanoma may be related to pre‐invasive phenotype with marked potential to invade.