Estrogen receptor expression in cutaneous melanoma: a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate estrogen receptor (ER) expression in human melanoma tissues and in the adjacent healthy skin with the aim of explaining whether the ERalpha:ERbeta expression ratio has a role in neoplastic progression.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Department of Dermatology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. Patients Fourteen patients, 12 with cutaneous melanoma (6 women and 6 men) and 2 with melanocytic nevi (1 woman and 1 man).


METHODS
Using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical analysis, we analyzed ERalpha and ERbeta messenger RNA (mRNA) and ERbeta protein expression in cutaneous melanoma and in the healthy skin surrounding the lesions.


RESULTS
All melanocytic lesions expressed detectable levels of ERalpha and ERbeta mRNA as well as ERbeta protein. Dividing melanoma cases into 2 groups according to Breslow thickness, we found lower ERalpha and ERbeta mRNA levels and lower ERbeta protein levels in thicker, more invasive tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations suggest a role for ERs in the metastatic process of melanoma cells, pointing at the possibility of using ERbeta expression as a prognostic indicator of melanoma. The possibility of distinguishing proliferative melanomas, which are associated with dismal prognosis, from the so-called dormant melanomas opens up novel avenues in tailoring individual treatments, as already happens for other tumors.
de Giorgi
Vincenzo
V
Department of Dermatology, University of Florence, Via della Pergola 60, 50121 Florence, Italy. vincenzo.degiorgi@unifi.it
Mavilia
Carmelo
C
Massi
Daniela
D
Gozzini
Alessia
A
Aragona
Palma
P
Tanini
Annalisa
A
Sestini
Serena
S
Paglierani
Milena
M
Boddi
Vieri
V
Brandi
Maria Luisa
ML
Lotti
Torello
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D012333:RNA, Messenger