title: Pleiotrophin expression correlates with melanocytic tumor progression and metastatic potential.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gene expression profiling of melanoma and nevic tissue has demonstrated that pleiotrophin (PTN) is significantly overexpressed in human melanomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  To further evaluate PTN expression in melanocytic lesions, protein immunohistochemistry was performed on the spectrum of melanocytic lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Melanocytic nevi were consistently negative (n=58). In contrast, the great majority of metastatic melanomas were positive (33/34, 97%). The analysis of 34 primary melanomas demonstrated PTN positivity in 20 lesions while 14 lesions were negative. Within the primary melanomas, PTN immunoreactivity was associated with metastasis (p=0.0004) and decreased melanoma-related survival (p=0.0444). Univariate analysis of PTN immunoreactivity predicted an increased risk for metastasis (relative risk 9.1, p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study confirm previous gene profiling data showing differential PTN expression between melanocytic nevi and melanomas. In addition, lesional PTN expression is associated with metastatic potential and may be a prognostic factor for melanomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barusevicius
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Babb
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klein-Szanto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Godwin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elenitsas
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gelfand
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lessin
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Seykora
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000378:metabolism*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; C066845:pleiotrophin