title: Adhesion molecules in primary oral mucosal melanoma: study of claudins, integrins and immunoglobulins in a series of 35 cases.
abstract: Primary oral mucosal melanoma is a rare aggressive tumor. Recent studies have demonstrated a correlation between increased tumor invasion and the metastatic phenotype and altered adhesion molecule expression profiles. The present study analyzed the expression of integrins, claudins, and immunoglobulin-like adhesion molecules in oral mucosal melanomas and correlated results with clinical parameters. Immunohistochemical analyses of the expression patterns of these molecules were performed on thirty-five cases of primary oral mucosal melanomas organized in a tissue microarray. The results were correlated with clinical and histological features of the cohort. A number of integrin subunits were negative and this was related with vascular invasion. Positivity of integrin beta-3 and CD166 (activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule) was statistically associated with extensive vascular invasion (P < 0.05). Lower expression of CD54 (intercellular cell adhesion molecule) was associated with cases with extensive necrosis. Most cases with metastatic disease were negative for CD66 (carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule). Several subunits of claudins were negative and, although not statistically significant, this lack of expression was partially associated with histological factors of poor prognosis. Altered patterns of adhesion molecule expression, mainly integrins and immunoglobulin-like proteins, may participate in the pathogenesis and outcome of oral mucosal melanomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sheyla Batista
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bologna
authors.forename: Marcello Menta S
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nico
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Cláudia Malheiros
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coutinho-Camillo
authors.forename: Marcilei E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Buim
authors.forename: Juliana Dumet
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sangueza
authors.forename: Fernando Augusto
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Silvia Vanessa
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Lourenço
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001706:Biopsy; D001838:Bolivia; D001938:Brazil; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D057167:Claudins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016023:Integrins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D057167:Claudins; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D016023:Integrins