title: Alpha-v-beta3 integrin expression in melanocytic nevi and cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alpha-v-beta3 integrin (alphavbeta3) is a vitronectin ligand and plays an important role in melanoma progression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to evaluate the expression of alphavbeta3 in superficial spreading cutaneous melanoma, in both conventional and tissue microarray (TMA) paraffin-embedded-tissue specimens, and correlate with histopathological variables and patient survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 159 tissue samples from compound nevi (n = 19), in situ melanoma (n = 5), thin melanoma (n = 34), thick melanoma (n = 72) and metastatic melanoma (n = 29) were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compound nevus epithelioid cells had a mild expression of alphavbeta3. In situ melanoma cells had the highest expression among all specimens, when compared to nevi (p = 0.0000) and to invasive melanoma (p = 0.0003). Expression of alphavbeta3 did not differ according to depth of invasion or did it increase in metastatic cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that alphavbeta3 integrin might have no impact on melanoma behavior. However, high levels of alphavbeta3-integrin expression for in situ melanoma may be related to pre-invasive phenotype with marked potential to invade.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Tratamento e Pesquisa Hospital do Cancer A. C. Camargo, Rua Professor Antonio Prudente, 211, São Paulo, São Paulo 01509-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dante Simionato
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pantaleão
authors.forename: Bianca Costa Soares
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: de Sá
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Landman
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039302:Integrin alphaVbeta3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D039302:Integrin alphaVbeta3