HSP105 expression in cutaneous malignant melanoma: Correlation with clinicopathological characteristics

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 16; no. 10; p. e0258053
• Main Authors: Chen, Ke-Jun, Li, Feng-Zeng, Ye, Qian, Jia, Meng, Fang, Sheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 07.10.2021; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Analysis; Apoptosis; Biology and Life Sciences; Cancer therapies; Consent; Dermatology; Diagnosis; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - genetics; Health aspects; Heat shock proteins; Hospitals; HSP110 Heat-Shock Proteins - genetics; Humans; Immune system; Immunohistochemistry; Laboratories; Lesions; Male; Medical prognosis; Medicine and Health Sciences; Melanoma; Melanoma - epidemiology; Melanoma - genetics; Melanoma - pathology; Melanoma, Cutaneous Malignant; Metastases; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Molecular weight; Mutation; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - epidemiology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - genetics; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Patients; Prognosis; Research and Analysis Methods; Skin cancer; Skin Neoplasms - epidemiology; Skin Neoplasms - genetics; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Staining; Statistical analysis; Thickness; Tumors; Young Adult; China; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258053

Heat shock proteins can protect against stress-associated cellular challenges, but they can also protect some tumors from human immune system monitoring. Heat shock protein 105 (HSP105/110) is a high molecular weight protein whose expression has been reported in many cancers, but few studies on its role in cutaneous malignant melanoma have been published. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between HSP105 expression and the clinicopathological characteristics of CMM. This retrospective study included 91 patients with CMM. The clinicopathological characteristics of CMM patients, including age, lesion duration, location, pathological classification, Clark's level, Breslow thickness, metastasis and recurrence, were collected. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis for HSP105 were performed. Pigmented nevi (n = 20) served as a control. The staining intensity and percentage of stained cells were expressed as a histochemical score (HSCORE). HSP105 was overexpressed in melanoma compared with nevi. Differences in the HSCORE between nevi (HSCORE = 1.05(0.15,1.50)) and CMM (HSCORE = 2.68(1.80,3.60)) were remarkable (P<0.001). Exposed site lesions, recurrent and metastatic lesions, nodular melanoma and lentigo maligna melanoma were closely associated with higher HSP105 expression (P = 0.011, P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). Moreover, no significant difference was observed in Clark's level, Breslow thickness, or lesion duration (P>0.05). HSP105 is overexpressed in CMM. Higher HSP105 expression in lesions is associated with different clinicopathological variables. HSP105 may be a potential target for the diagnosis, treatment and prognostic prediction of CMM.