title: High hERG1 expression in advanced melanoma.
abstract: Cutaneous melanoma represents the main cause of death among skin cancers. The thickness of the lesion at diagnosis is one of the most important prognostic indicators for survival, which is good for thin melanomas (≤1 mm) and worsens as thickness increases. Nevertheless, it is not rare to observe disease progression of thin melanomas or, conversely, a good outcome for those melanomas considered to be at high risk, according to the classical prognostic criteria. In the present paper, we analysed for the first time the expression of the hERG1 protein, a potassium channel frequently overexpressed and misexpressed in cancers, in cutaneous melanocytic lesions. The analysis was carried out on archival samples relative to (a) typical melanocytic nevi, (b) atypical melanocytic nevi, (c) thin (<1 mm) melanomas from patients who survived at least 10 years after surgery, (d) thick (>4 mm) melanomas from patients who died for melanoma and (e) melanoma metastases. Samples were analysed by immunohistochemistry using an hERG1-specific antibody. We showed that primary cutaneous melanomas with a thickness greater than 4 mm as well as metastatic melanoma lesions are characterized by a high level of hERG1 expression. Conversely, thin melanomas and benign melanocytic lesions (e.g. typical and atypical melanocytic nevi) express hERG1 at significantly lower levels. Although still preliminary, the data presented here enable us to consider hERG1 as a novel candidate biomarker for aggressive melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine and Oncology, Istituto Toscano Tumori ITT, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy. annarosa.arcangeli@unifi.it
authors.forename: Annarosa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arcangeli
authors.forename: Maria Raffaella
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Romoli
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boni
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerlini
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tofani
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Urso
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borgognoni
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D000072237:ERG1 Potassium Channel; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000072237:ERG1 Potassium Channel; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels