title: Poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase 1 expression in malignant melanomas from photoexposed areas of the head and neck region.
abstract: The family of the poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins is directly involved in genomic stability, DNA repair, and apoptosis by DNA damage. In this study, we evaluated the role of PARP-1 in melanoma and its prognostic importance. We studied by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis PARP-1 expression in a selected series of 80 primary melanoma of the head and neck region. The results were correlated with tumor thickness and patient's outcome. A follow-up of at least 3 years was available. Fifteen cases of benign melanocytic nevi were used as controls. Normal melanocytes showed only scattered, focal nuclear positivity and were considered as negative for PARP-1 expression by immunohistochemistry (score, 0). Thirty cases of melanoma (37.5%) showed nuclear expression of PARP-1 in both radial and vertical growth phases. Western blot analysis showed the presence of a high signal for full-length PARP-1 only in the cases with high immunohistochemical (nuclear) expression of protein (score, ++/+++) in both radial and vertical growth phase. A significant correlation was present between PARP-1 expression in vertical growth phase and the thickness of tumor lesion (P = .014); all but one tumor measuring less than 0.75 mm showed no or low PARP-1 expression. No correlation was found between PARP-1 expression in radial growth phase and tumor thickness (P = .38, data not shown). These data suggest that PARP-1 overexpression is a potential novel molecular marker of aggressive cutaneous malignant melanoma and a direct correlation between PARP-1-mediated inhibition of the apoptosis and biologic behavior of cutaneous malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Section, Department of Biomorphological and Functional Sciences, University Federico II of Naples, 80127 Naples, Italy. amando.tedeschi@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Staibano
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lo Muzio
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Somma
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mascolo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Argenziano
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scalvenzi
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fabbrocini
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Molea
authors.forename: Angelo Raffaele
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carlomagno
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Rosa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000071137:Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: C499320:PARP1 protein, human; D000071137:Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases