BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an endothelial cell mitogen, plays a hierarchical role in regulating physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis. Moreover, the transformation from noninvasive to invasive carcinomas is accompanied by focal disruption and discontinuity of the basement membrane. Several groups of proteases have been implicated in tumor cell invasion, including the 72-kDa gelatinase A/Type IV collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase 2 [MMP-2]) and the 92-kDa gelatinase B/Type IV collagenase (MMP-9). METHODS: The authors assessed the immunohistochemical expression of VEGF and metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 in paraffin embedded biopsy specimens of malignant melanomas (18 invasive melanomas and 10 in situ melanomas); dysplastic nevi with architectural disorder and cytologic atypia of melanocytes; Spitz nevi; and compound or predominantly intradermal, ordinary, benign melanocytic nevi. RESULTS: Strong cytoplasmic staining for VEGF was observed in melanoma cells in as many as 77% of primary invasive melanomas, whereas only 25% of the in situ melanomas exhibited a detectable immunoreactivity for VEGF. It is interesting to note that no immunoreactivity was shown by any nevi; Spitz nevi, in particular, showed negative immunoreactivity to VEGF. Invasive melanomas and in situ melanomas displayed coexpression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, although to a variable extent. In particular, high MMP-2 staining was observed in 14 of 18 invasive melanomas; moreover, strong MMP-2 expression also was observed in 60% of in situ melanomas, whereas the residual 40% of those melanomas showed a moderate level of positivity. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the current data showing that malignant melanocytic tumors displayed strong VEGF expression, whereas benign melanocytic proliferations showed no immunoreactivity for VEGF, VEGF also may be used as a discriminating factor to distinguish malignant melanoma from lesions of uncertain histology. Copyright 2002 American Cancer Society.
BACKGROUND:Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an endothelial cell mitogen, plays a hierarchical role in regulating physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis. Moreover, the transformation from noninvasive to invasive carcinomas is accompanied by focal disruption and discontinuity of the basement membrane. Several groups of proteases have been implicated in tumor cell invasion, including the 72-kDa gelatinase A/Type IV collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase 2 [MMP-2]) and the 92-kDa gelatinase B/Type IV collagenase (MMP-9). METHODS: The authors assessed the immunohistochemical expression of VEGF and metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 in paraffin embedded biopsy specimens of malignant melanomas (18 invasive melanomas and 10 in situ melanomas); dysplastic nevi with architectural disorder and cytologic atypia of melanocytes; Spitz nevi; and compound or predominantly intradermal, ordinary, benign melanocytic nevi. RESULTS: Strong cytoplasmic staining for VEGF was observed in melanoma cells in as many as 77% of primary invasive melanomas, whereas only 25% of the in situ melanomas exhibited a detectable immunoreactivity for VEGF. It is interesting to note that no immunoreactivity was shown by any nevi; Spitz nevi, in particular, showed negative immunoreactivity to VEGF. Invasive melanomas and in situ melanomas displayed coexpression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, although to a variable extent. In particular, high MMP-2 staining was observed in 14 of 18 invasive melanomas; moreover, strong MMP-2 expression also was observed in 60% of in situ melanomas, whereas the residual 40% of those melanomas showed a moderate level of positivity. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the current data showing that malignant melanocytic tumors displayed strong VEGF expression, whereas benign melanocytic proliferations showed no immunoreactivity for VEGF, VEGF also may be used as a discriminating factor to distinguish malignant melanoma from lesions of uncertain histology. Copyright 2002 American Cancer Society.
Authors: Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski; Susan M Swetter; Janine G Einspahr; Chiu-Hsieh Hsu; Ray Nagle; Paul Sagerman; Joseph Tangrea; Howard Parnes; David S Alberts; Hsiao-Hui Chow Journal: Cancer Date: 2012-05-17 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Valerie P Grignol; Thomas Olencki; Kiran Relekar; Cynthia Taylor; Amanda Kibler; Cheryl Kefauver; Lai Wei; Michael J Walker; Helen X Chen; Kari Kendra; William E Carson Journal: J Immunother Date: 2011 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 4.456
Authors: Kevin B Kim; Jeffrey A Sosman; John P Fruehauf; Gerald P Linette; Svetomir N Markovic; David F McDermott; Jeffrey S Weber; Hoa Nguyen; Peter Cheverton; Daniel Chen; Amy C Peterson; William E Carson; Steven J O'Day Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2011-11-28 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Janice M Mehnert; Mary M McCarthy; Lucia Jilaveanu; Keith T Flaherty; Saadia Aziz; Robert L Camp; David L Rimm; Harriet M Kluger Journal: Hum Pathol Date: 2009-12-11 Impact factor: 3.466