Recent investigations highlighted the controversial role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in human cutaneous melanoma (CM), where β-catenin activation seems to both inhibit melanocyte migration and invasion and contribute to metastasis development. Survivin has been proposed as a valid prognostic marker and a promising therapeutic target for invasive and metastatic melanomas. Our aim was to investigate the aberrant expression of survivin and β-catenin in canine cutaneous melanocytic tumours, in order to understand the association of the expression of these molecules with features of malignancy. 10 cutaneous melanocytomas and 7 CM were investigated by immunohistochemistry using specific antibodies. A semi-quantitative method was used to analyse the results, that were related to histopathological features, evaluated in haematoxilin-eosin stained slides. A low nuclear β-catenin expression was found in the majority of the cases evaluated, and an overexpression of nuclear survivin was observed in melanoma cases compared to melanocytomas. The low nuclear β-catenin expression would confirm considerations arisen from similar results obtained in human melanocytic tumours, indicating an important role of deregulation of Wnt/β-catenin homeostasis, rather than a direct oncogenetic role of the pathway. The overexpression of nuclear survivin in malignant forms would indicate survivin as a possible useful prognostic marker and therapeutic target in canine melanoma patients. [...]
MALIGNITÀ DEL MELANOMA CUTANEO DEL CANE: SIGNIFICATO DELL’ESPRESSIONE IMMUNOISTOCHIMICA DI SURVIVINA E Β-CATENINA
BONGIOVANNI, LAURA;CICCARELLI, Andrea;MALATESTA, DANIELA;ROMANUCCI, MARIARITA;DELLA SALDA, Leonardo;
2013-01-01
Abstract
Recent investigations highlighted the controversial role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in human cutaneous melanoma (CM), where β-catenin activation seems to both inhibit melanocyte migration and invasion and contribute to metastasis development. Survivin has been proposed as a valid prognostic marker and a promising therapeutic target for invasive and metastatic melanomas. Our aim was to investigate the aberrant expression of survivin and β-catenin in canine cutaneous melanocytic tumours, in order to understand the association of the expression of these molecules with features of malignancy. 10 cutaneous melanocytomas and 7 CM were investigated by immunohistochemistry using specific antibodies. A semi-quantitative method was used to analyse the results, that were related to histopathological features, evaluated in haematoxilin-eosin stained slides. A low nuclear β-catenin expression was found in the majority of the cases evaluated, and an overexpression of nuclear survivin was observed in melanoma cases compared to melanocytomas. The low nuclear β-catenin expression would confirm considerations arisen from similar results obtained in human melanocytic tumours, indicating an important role of deregulation of Wnt/β-catenin homeostasis, rather than a direct oncogenetic role of the pathway. The overexpression of nuclear survivin in malignant forms would indicate survivin as a possible useful prognostic marker and therapeutic target in canine melanoma patients. [...]I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
