RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Melanoma inhibitor of apoptosis protein is expressed differentially in melanoma and melanocytic naevus, but similarly in primary and metastatic melanomas
JF Journal of Clinical Pathology
JO J Clin Pathol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists
SP 1081
OP 1085
DO 10.1136/jcp.2005.025817
VO 58
IS 10
A1 Gong, J
A1 Chen, N
A1 Zhou, Q
A1 Yang, B
A1 Wang, Y
A1 Wang, X
YR 2005
UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/58/10/1081.abstract
AB Background: Malignant melanoma is highly resistant to current treatments. The inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family member, melanoma IAP (ML-IAP), is overexpressed in some melanoma cell lines, rendering them resistant to apoptotic signals. Targeting ML-IAP is a promising approach to treating melanoma. However, the status of ML-IAP expression in human melanoma tissues and the difference in expression between melanoma and melanocytic naevus are not known. Aims: To investigate these issues. Methods: ML-IAP expression in 48 archived patient samples (34 melanomas and 14 dermal naevi) was assessed by immunohistochemistry and by in situ hybridisation and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays developed for the study. Results: Expression of ML-IAP was detected in 47.6–70.6% (10 of 21 to 24 of 34) of the melanomas, varying with detection methods. The expression rate in melanoma was much higher than that in melanocytic naevus (10.0–21.4%; one of 10 to three of 14). No significant difference was seen between primary and secondary melanomas. ML-IAP expression rates assessed by the three methods were in agreement. Conclusions: The ML-IAP expression rate in archived melanoma tissues is around 50–70%, with no difference between primary and secondary melanomas. A small number of dermal naevi (∼ 20%) also expressed ML-IAP.