RGD Reference Report - Immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase 2, and matrix metalloproteinase 9 in cutaneous melanocytic lesions. - Rat Genome Database

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Immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase 2, and matrix metalloproteinase 9 in cutaneous melanocytic lesions.

Authors: Simonetti, Oriana  Lucarini, Guendalina  Brancorsini, Donatella  Nita, Petronela  Bernardini, Maria Luisa  Biagini, Graziella  Offidani, Annamaria 
Citation: Simonetti O, etal., Cancer. 2002 Nov 1;95(9):1963-70.
RGD ID: 13204786
Pubmed: PMID:12404291   (View Abstract at PubMed)
DOI: DOI:10.1002/cncr.10888   (Journal Full-text)


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.

RGD Manual Disease Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View
TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
skin melanoma  IEP 13204786; 13204786 RGD 
skin melanoma  ISOMMP2 (Homo sapiens)13204786; 13204786 RGD 
skin melanoma  ISOMMP9 (Homo sapiens)13204786; 13204786 RGD 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Mmp2  (matrix metallopeptidase 2)
Mmp9  (matrix metallopeptidase 9)

Genes (Mus musculus)
Mmp2  (matrix metallopeptidase 2)
Mmp9  (matrix metallopeptidase 9)

Genes (Homo sapiens)
MMP2  (matrix metallopeptidase 2)
MMP9  (matrix metallopeptidase 9)


Additional Information