CD10 expression by melanoma cells is associated with aggressive behavior in vitro and predicts rapid metastatic progression in humans.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: No biological or molecular marker of primary melanoma tumor cells has been shown to predict clinical outcome in melanoma. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether CD10, CD133, nestin and CD20 may evaluate the prognosis of melanoma. METHODS: The differential expression of these molecules was assessed in pairs of cell lines. We evaluated, by both immunohistochemical staining and RT-qPCR, their expression in a cohort of 32 patients (68 samples) with a history of metastatic melanoma, divided into two groups according to their clinical outcome profile. RESULTS: CD10 over expression in cancer cell lines was associated with more aggressive behavior in vitro. A CD10-positive staining was more frequent in patients in the "rapidly progressive" group than those in the "long survivor" group (23/35 versus 2/18, p<10(-4)). CD10 expression was associated with a lower median overall survival (1.15 year - IQR [0.50-2.58] versus 4.27 - IQR [1.66-6.33]; p=10(-4)). The Odds Ratio of displaying a "rapidly progressive" melanoma when tumor cells expressed CD10 was 15 (95% confidence interval [3-78]). After adjusting for confounding factors, CD10 expression in melanoma tumor cells remained associated with an increased risk of death and more rapid disease progression (p=6×10(-4); HR=3.71). CONCLUSION: CD10 may predict clinical outcome in melanoma patients.