title: Kruppel-like factor 6 in the progression and prognosis of malignant melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to investigate the incidence of Krüppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) protein staining in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma and examine its potential relevance to clinicopathological characteristics and tumour cell proliferation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinicopathological data from patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma were analysed retrospectively. Presence of KLF6 and the antigen Ki-67 in malignant melanoma and healthy tissue samples from each patient was detected by immunohistochemistry. The proliferation index was calculated on the basis of Ki-67 expression. The relationship between KLF6 and clinicopathological characteristics was also analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  KLF6 was detected more frequently in normal healthy skin tissue compared with cutaneous malignant melanoma lesions (n = 40). There was a negative correlation between the presence of KLF6 and the proliferation index. The presence of KLF6 was also significantly correlated with tumour diameter, lymph node metastasis, tumour-node-metastasis stage and 3-year survival rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KLF6 protein is downregulated in human cutaneous malignant melanoma lesions compared with healthy skin tissue. KLF6 may be involved in tumour progression and may be a tumour suppressor and prognostic marker for cutaneous malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Daxing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D000075723:Kruppel-Like Factor 6; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C105465:KLF6 protein, human; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D000075723:Kruppel-Like Factor 6; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins
keywords: Krüppel-like factor 6; Malignant melanoma; prognosis; proliferation