Variations in the expression of TIMP1, TIMP2 and TIMP3 in cutaneous melanoma with regression and their possible function as prognostic predictors.
Regression in melanoma is a frequent biological event of uncertain prognostic value as the lesion exhibits heterogeneous phenotypical features, both at the morphological and immunohistochemical level. In the present study, we examined the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP1, TIMP2 and TIMP3) in melanoma with regression. We specifically examined the expression levels of these TIMPs in regressed components (RC) and non-regressed components (NRC) of the tumor and compared their expression levels with those in non-regressed melanomas. We found that TIMP1 was overexpressed in the NRC of melanomas with partial regression (PR) compared with the NRC in melanomas with segmental regression (SR) (P=0.011). TIMP2 was overexpressed in the NRC of melanomas with PR compared with the NRC in melanomas with SR (PR/SR, P=0.009); or compared with the NRC in melanomas with simultaneous SR-PR (P=0.002); or compared with melanomas without regression (absence of regression) (P=0.037). Moreover, TIMP3 was overexpressed in the NRC of all melanomas with SR as compared to the RC component (P=0.007). Our findings on the differential expression of TIMP1, TIMP2 and TIMP3 in melanomas with regression support the hypothesis that the morphological differences identified in the melanoma regression spectrum may have a correlation with prognosis. This may explain the controversial findings within the literature concerning the biological and prognostic role of regression in melanoma.
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania; Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Sabina
S
Zurac
Department of Immunology, 'Victor Babes' National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest 050096, Romania.
Monica
M
Neagu
Department of Immunology, 'Victor Babes' National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest 050096, Romania.
Carolina
C
Constantin
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania; Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Mirela
M
Cioplea
Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Roxana
R
Nedelcu
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania; Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Alexandra
A
Bastian
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania.
Cristiana
C
Popp
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania; Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Luciana
L
Nichita
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania.
Razvan
R
Andrei
Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Tiberiu
T
Tebeica
Department of Immunology, 'Victor Babes' National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest 050096, Romania.
Cristiana
C
Tanase
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania; Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Virginia
V
Chitu
Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Constantin
C
Caruntu
Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Mihaela
M
Ghita
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania; Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Catalin
C
Popescu
Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Daniel
D
Boda
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania; Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Bogdan
B
Mastalier
Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Nicoleta
N
Maru
Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Claudiu
C
Daha
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania.
Bogdan
B
Andreescu
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania.
Ioan
I
Marinescu
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania.
Adrian
A
Rebosapca
Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest 020125, Romania; Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Florica
F
Staniceanu
Institute of Biochemistry of Romanian Academy, Bucharest 060031, Romania.
Gabriela
G
Negroiu
Department of Physiology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
Daniela A
DA
Ion
Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Greece.
Dragana
D
Nikitovic
Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Greece.
George N
GN
Tzanakakis
Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 71409, Greece.
Demetrios A
DA
Spandidos
Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Greece.
Aristidis M
AM
Tsatsakis
melanoma with regression; prognosis; tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases