Expression of c-myc and bcl-2 in Primary and Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma

• Published in: Cancer investigation Vol. 20; no. 7-8; pp. 914 - 921
• Main Authors: Utikal, Jochen, Leiter, Ulrike, Udart, Martin, Kaskel, Peter, Peter, Ralf Uwe, Krähn, Gertraud M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Informa UK Ltd 2002; Taylor & Francis; Informa Healthcare
• Subjects: bcl-2; Biological and medical sciences; c-myc; Coexpression; Dermatology; DNA Primers - chemistry; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Malignant melanoma; Medical sciences; Melanoma - genetics; Melanoma - metabolism; Melanoma - pathology; Melanoma metastases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Skin - metabolism; Skin Neoplasms - genetics; Skin Neoplasms - metabolism; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors of the skin and soft tissue. Premalignant lesions; Human; Skin disease; Pathogenesis; Malignant melanoma; Advanced stage; Malignant tumor; Metastasis; Gene expression; Onc gene; Carcinogenesis
• ISSN: 0735-7907; 1532-4192
• DOI: 10.1081/CNV-120005904

Apoptosis is an important co-factor in the pathogenesis of a plethora of malignancies. Enhanced c-myc activation can result either in proliferation or apoptosis. Coexpression with antiapoptotic bcl-2, which abrogates the apoptotic function of c-myc might lead to an enormous growth advantage of cells. In order to elucidate the role of c-myc and bcl-2 as well as the coexpression of both genes in human melanoma, their expression was studied in four samples of normal skin (SK), 15 surgical margins (SM), 20 benign melanocytic nevi (MN), 20 primary melanomas (MM), and 30 melanoma metastases (MMET) by RT-PCR. These results were compared with immunohistochemistry (IH) in 7 SK, 7 SM, 26 MN, 50 MM, and 34 MMET. Similar results were found with both methods. However, MMET expressed c-myc (PCR 28 30, IH 23 34) as well as bcl-2 (PCR 27 30, IH 24 34) more frequently. Primary melanomas showed a similar expression pattern as SM and nevi. Moreover, in contrast to SK, SM, MN, and MM coexpression of bcl-2 and c-myc was found more frequently in MMET (PCR 25 30, p<0.01, IH 19 34, p<0.01). These results indicate that coexpression of c-myc and bcl-2 appears to be associated with advanced melanoma and contributes to the malignant phenotype.