Expression of endoglin in human melanocytic lesions.
Angiogenesis plays an important role in progression of various tumours including malignant melanoma. It is possible that the immunostaining of angiogenic markers could differentiate benign and malignant melanocytic lesions or that the immunostaining pattern with angiogenic markers could vary with tumour thickness and thus be a prognostic marker. We were interested to see whether there was any correlation between endoglin (CD 105; EDG) expression with tumour thickness in primary cutaneous malignant melanomas (MM), any correlation between EDG expression and clinical outcome in patients with primary cutaneous MMs and any difference in staining pattern between cutaneous MMs and Spitz naevi which could be of diagnostic value. Tissue sections from 14 primary cutaneous MM lesions with a Breslow thickness of > 2 mm, 10 primary cutaneous MM lesions with a Breslow thickness of 1-2 mm, and six Spitz and 10 compound naevi were stained for EDG. EDG expression was compared with survival in patients with primary cutaneous MMs. Overall, EDG staining was positive in 96% of MMs and 94% of benign melanocytic naevi. Very strong (++++) and strong (+++) EDG staining was found in 58% of MMs and 56% of benign melanocytic lesions. EDG expression did not vary significantly with the thickness of the lesion in primary cutaneous melanoma. Survival of melanoma patients did not correlate with the degree of EDG expression. Therefore, expression of this marker alone is not sufficient to differentiate benign and malignant melanocytic lesions.
Dawn
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University Department of Dermatology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, UK. gmitali@eggconnect.net
MacKie
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RM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000071063:Endoglin; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008545:Melanoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D015703:Antigens, CD; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1