[Research of factors related to invasion and metastasis in choroidal melanoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of factors related to invasion and metastasis in choroidal melanoma and to determine their relationships with malignant features. METHODS: The expression of Connexin43 (Cx43), epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in choroidal melanoma and nevi were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the correlation between these factors and clinicopathological features were analyzed. RESULTS: Positive rates of Cx43, E-cadherin, PI3K and CTGF were 74.07% (20/27), 44.4% (12/27), 74.07% (20/27) and 66.67% (18/27) in choroidal melanoma tissues, respectively; and 33.33% (5/15), 86.67% (13/15), 33.33% (5/15) and 20.00% (3/15) in the nevi tissues, respectively. There were significant differences in the expression of these markers between the two groups (χ(2) = 5.060, P = 0.024; χ(2) = 5.490, P = 0.019; χ(2) = 5.060, P = 0.024; χ(2) = 6.637, P = 0.010). The expression rates of Cx43 protein were 40% (4/10), 88.89% (8/9) and 100% (8/8) in spindle, mixed and epithelioid cell type, respectively. The expression of these data was related to histological type (χ(2) = 9.874, P = 0.007). The expression rates of PI3K protein were 42.86% (3/7), 75% (9/12) and 100% (8/8), in small, medium and large tumors, respectively, and their expression were co-related to the tumor size (χ(2) = 6.357, P = 0.042). Positive rates of Cx43, E-cadherin, PI3K and CTGF were 50% (6/12), 83.33% (10/12), 50% (6/12) and 41.66% (5/12), respectively, in choroidal melanoma tissues without sclera invasion and were 93.33% (14/15), 40% (6/15), 93.33% (14/15) and 86.67% (13/15), respectively, in choroidal melanoma tissues with violation involved the sclera. There were significant differences of the expression of these markers between the two groups (χ(2) = 4.457, P = 0.016; χ(2) = 3.546, P = 0.028; χ(2) = 4.457, P = 0.016; χ(2) = 4.218, P = 0.019). CONCLUSION: Increased expression of Cx43, PI3K and CTGF and decreased expression of E-cadherin are involved in the processes of invasion and metastasis of choroidal melanoma.

Expression and significance of factors related to angiogenesis in choroidal melanoma.

AIM: TO INVESTIGATE EXPRESSION OF FACTORS RELATED TO ANGIOGENESIS: HIF-1α, iNOS, COX-2 and VEGF in choroidal melanoma and its clinical significance. METHODS: Fifty samples of choroidal melanoma and 15 samples of melanocytic nevi of the eyelid identified by pathology were collected. Immunohistochemistry SP method was used to examine the expression of HIF-1α, iNOS, COX-2 and VEGF in these samples. The comparison among groups was done by SPSS 13.0 software. RESULTS: The positive expression rates of HIF-1α, iNOS, COX-2 and VEGF in choroidal melanoma group were significantly higher than those in eyelid nevi group (χ(2)=6.5542, 7.7224, 8.5828, 15.1749). The positive expression rate of VEGF was associated with the tumor size (χ(2)=10.9194), but was not associated with pathological type (χ(2)=2.0712) and the situation of scleral invasion (χ(2)=5.4289). The positive expression rate of HIF-1α was associated with the tumor size (χ(2)=7.1216) and pathological type (χ(2)=9.0889), but was not associated with the situation of scleral invasion (χ(2)=3.3586). The positive expression rate of iNOS was associated with the tumor size (χ(2)=9.5503), but was not associated with pathological type (χ(2)=1.9450) and the situation of scleral invasion (χ(2)=2.3810). The positive expression rate of COX-2 was associated with the tumor size (χ(2)=7.2970), but was not associated with pathological type (χ(2)=1.8421) and the situation of scleral invasion (χ(2)=0.4018). The expression of HIF-1α, iNOS and COX-2 were significantly associated with the expression of VEGF (r=0.9429, 1, 0.9857). The expression of COX-2 was significantly associated with the expression of iNOS (r=0.9857). The expression of HIF-1α was significantly associated with the expression of COX-2 (r=0.9857). The expression of HIF-1α was significantly associated with the expression of iNOS (r=0. 9429). CONCLUSION: The expression of HIF-1α, iNOS and COX-2 protein in choroidal melanoma were higher and may relate to angiogenesis and stimulate tumor growth. Determination of HIF-1α, iNOS and COX-2 may be helpful for the diagnosis and therapy of this tumor.

Expression of connexin 43 and E-cadherin in choroidal melanoma.

AIM: To investigate the expression of connexin 43 and epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin) in choroidal melanoma, to explore the clinical and pathological implications of expression of these proteins, and to determine their relations with malignant features. METHODS: The expression of connexin 43 and E-cadherin in choroidal melanoma were detected by immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinicopathological features. RESULTS: Positive rates of connexin 43 in choroidal melanomas and benign pigmented nevus tissues were 75% and 40% respectively with significant differences between the two groups (χ(2)=5.607, P=0.009). Positive rates of E-cadherin in choroidal melanomas and benign pigmented nevus tissues were 40% and 75% respectively with significant differences between the two groups (χ(2)=5.214, P=0.010). Significant overexpression of connexin 43 and reduction of E-cadherin expression was associated with the invasion to the sclera, and there were respectively significant differences between without and with scleral invasion groups (χ(2)=2.880, P=0.040; χ(2)=2.778, P=0.046). Overexpression of connexin 43 were correlated with tumor cell types and the expression of connexin 43 and E-cadherin may be correlated with each other. CONCLUSION: The increased expression of connexin 43 and the decreased expression of E-cadherin may be involved in the process of invasion of choroidal melanoma. The overepression of connexin 43 and reduction of E-cadherin may contribute to the development of choroidal melanoma.