Molecular Biomarkers & Diagnosis

Evaluation of Immunostaining for 4-Hydroxy-2-Nonenal Receptors in Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma Immunohistochemical Study of 55 Cases

Abstract

Blendea A, Şerban IL, Brănişteanu DC and Brănişteanu DE

Background and objectives: Reactive oxygen species have been extensively studied in a wide range of human cancers, but are poorly studied in cutaneous malignant melanomas, particularly with respect to the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal. This was the reason why we chose to introduce this marker in this study, its use still being a novelty in these neoplasms. In addition, comparative analyzes of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal expression in benign and malignant (primary or metastatic) human melanocytic lesions have not been performed so far.

Materials and methods: The immunohistochemical study was performed in a total of 55 patients, divided into a control group, which included 5 cases of simple nevi and 5 cases of dysplastic nevi, as well as a study group consisting of 35 cases of primary malignant melanoma and 10 metastases. The immunohistochemical method used to identify epitopes of interest was two-time, polymer-specific, with is characterized by high sensitivity, specificity and affinity.

Results: Immunostaining of the control and study groups with anti-4-HNE antibody included the analysis of the percentage of positive cells (with membranous/cytoplasmic staining and staining intensity for each type of melanocytic lesion analyzed (benign, dysplastic and malignant).

Conclusion: Oxidative stress-induced expression of the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal is significantly increased in dysplastic nevi versus benign nevi and is maintained at a level comparable to that in dysplastic lesions in cutaneous malignant melanomas. 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal intervenes early in the tumorigenic process of cutaneous malignant melanomas, being highly overexpressed once melanocytes have undergone dysplastic changes. Metastases lose the lipid peroxidation product, aspect correlated with the increased proliferative activity detected in metastases from cutaneous malignant melanoma.