title: Elevated plasma levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and TGF-beta2 in patients with disseminated malignant melanoma.
abstract: Overexpression of transforming growth factor-beta isoforms (TGF-beta1, -beta2, -beta3) has been previously reported in human melanoma cell lines and tumours. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the plasma levels of TGF-beta isoforms in melanoma patients. Significantly elevated levels of TGF-beta1 (4.2 x the controls, P = 0.0094) and of TGF-beta2 (1.5 x the controls, P = 0.012) but not of TGF-beta3 were measured in patients with disseminated but not locoregional melanoma. These results indicate systemic circulation of potentially immunosuppressive peptides of the TGF-beta family in end-stage melanoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Benjamin Franklin, The Free University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krasagakis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thölke
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farthmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eberle
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mansmann
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Orfanos
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta