title: Stem cell properties in cell cultures from different stage of melanoma progression.
abstract: Cutaneous melanoma is an extremely heterogenous human cancer. The most aggressive melanoma may contain deregulated cells with undifferentiated/stem cell-like phenotype. A critical mechanism by which melanoma cells enhance their invasive capacity is the dissolution of the intercellular adhesion and the acquisition of mesenchymal features as a part of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of a stem cell-like population in human melanomas by means of melanocytic cell culture analysis obtained from distinct histotypes of primary and metastatic malignant melanoma. Patients with advanced melanoma >2 cm in diameter and/or >300 mm surface were enrolled. The melanoma cells were isolated from skin biopsies of lentigo maligna melanoma, superficial spreading melanoma, nodular melanoma, and metastatic melanoma. The colony forming unit assay and alkaline phosphatase stain were evaluated. Cells were subsequently cultured and maintained in different media to evaluate their ability to differentiate into osteogenic and adipogenic lineages. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry analysis were performed to evaluate antigenic markers CD90, CD73, CD105, CD146, CD20, CD166, and Nestin. This study confirms that melanoma can include heterogenous cell populations with the ability both to self-renew and to a give rise to differentiated progeny. Melanoma cells displayed intratumoral heterogeneity and dynamic antigen phenotypes. Histologically, transitions from normal skin to melanoma were associated with a gradual increase in the expression of CD146, CD20, CD133, Nestin, and CD73. These molecular profiles could be further analyzed and, in the future, used for the development of novel biomolecular targeted-therapy approaches.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Dermatology ‡Clinical and Diagnostic Medicine and Public Health, University Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena †1st Medical Department, Dermatology Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia §Department of Odontostomatological and Maxillofacial Sciences, Oral Medicine Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magnoni
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giudice
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellacani
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertazzoni
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Veratti
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benassi
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaschieri
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azzoni
authors.forename: Anto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Pol
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seidenari
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomasi
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pollio
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ponti
mesh_terms: D050156:Adipogenesis; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism; D063646:Carcinogenesis; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D064231:Nestin / Q000378:metabolism; D010012:Osteogenesis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D064231:Nestin