Department of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato (CA), Italy.
Oncol Rep. 2010 Jan;23(1):17-24.
The cancer stem cell hypothesis suggests that mutated melanocyte stem cells are present in skin as precursors of melanoma cells. Nestin and CD133 have been described as markers of melanocytic stem cells. The aim of this study was to establish if melanocytic stem cells could have a prognostic significance in melanoma progression. An immunohistochemical study for nestin and CD133 was performed in 130 primary tumors and 32 nodal metastasis biopsy specimens to evaluate possible differences, and to compare the results with survival data and clinicopathological variables. Nestin was expressed in cytoplasm of non-pigmented tumor cells and in endothelial cells, especially at the invading tumor front. Nestin staining in stage I and II (according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging system) melanoma patients significantly predicted poor survival (log-rank test, P=0.037), with lower survival rates in cases with nestin positivity in both tumoral and endothelial cells. CD133 staining was not associated with survival. There were no significant differences in nestin or CD133 expression between primary tumors and metastases. These results suggest that nestin expression in both tumoral and endothelial cells may be considered an important early prognostic marker in melanoma.
癌症干细胞假说表明，突变的黑素细胞干细胞存在于皮肤中，是黑色素瘤细胞的前体。巢蛋白和 CD133 已被描述为黑素细胞干细胞的标志物。本研究旨在确定黑素细胞干细胞在黑色素瘤进展中是否具有预后意义。对 130 例原发性肿瘤和 32 例淋巴结转移活检标本进行巢蛋白和 CD133 的免疫组织化学研究，以评估可能存在的差异，并将结果与生存数据和临床病理变量进行比较。巢蛋白在非色素性肿瘤细胞的细胞质中和内皮细胞中表达，尤其是在侵袭性肿瘤前沿。根据美国癌症联合委员会分期系统（American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging system），I 期和 II 期黑色素瘤患者的巢蛋白染色显著预测生存不良（对数秩检验，P=0.037），巢蛋白在肿瘤细胞和内皮细胞中均为阳性的病例生存率更低。CD133 染色与生存无关。巢蛋白或 CD133 的表达在原发性肿瘤和转移瘤之间无显著差异。这些结果表明，肿瘤细胞和内皮细胞中巢蛋白的表达均可被视为黑色素瘤的一个重要早期预后标志物。
