title: Cripto-1 expression in uveal melanoma: an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: Human Cripto, the founder member of the epidermal growth factor-Cripto-FRL1-Cryptic (EGF-CFC) family, plays an important role during early embryonic development and in particular in carcinogenesis and the development of cancer metastases. Cripto-1 is over-expressed in most cancers, but is absent or only weakly expressed in normal cells. For this reason, Cripto-1 could be of potential value in the targeted treatment. There is no information on the expression of Cripto-1 in human uveal melanoma. Cripto-1 reactivity was evaluated by immunohistochemistry on 36 archival uveal melanomas using the polyclonal antibody to Cripto-1. The tumors were divided in to 2 groups. There were 18 uveal melanomas with no intrascleral or extrascleral extension and 18 uveal melanomas with intrascleral/extrascleral extension/liver metastasis. Cripto-1 reactivity was correlated with tumor aggressiveness and cell type. Furthermore, we studied the immunolocalization of Cripto-1 in 4 uveal melanoma cell lines OCM-1, OCM-8, and 92-1, and OMM-1 and in 2 primary uveal melanocyte cultures. Cripto-1 was expressed in both the non-invasive and aggressive uveal melanomas. Cripto-1 was positive in the 4 uveal melanoma cell lines and absent in the primary uveal melanocyte cultures. Retinal tissue did not express Cripto-1. The results suggest that Cripto-1 is expressed in uveal melanoma, negative in the non-neoplastic ocular tissue and point to its use as a target for therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ocular Pathology, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, 18 College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Kandalam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mallikarjuna
authors.forename: Pushparaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaijayanthi
authors.forename: Subramanian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnakumar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012590:Sclera / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C070636:TDGF1 protein, human; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor