Poster presentation, P139

Official XXIst International Pigment Cell Conference website - 21-24 Sept 2011, Bordeaux - France | updated: September 04 2011

Diagnostic interest of RACK1 in melanoma

SPEAKER G. Egidy #whois submiter ?
AUTHOR(s) R. Nkosi, S. Meyer, N. Martin, R. Barnhill, M. Battistella, F. Bernex, G. Houzelstein, A. Janin, X. Sastre-Garau, J.-J. Panthier, C. Lebbé, G. Egidy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The term melanoma comprises a family of malignant tumors developing from melanocytes of the skin, mucous membranes, eyes and internal organs. Cutaneous melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Ocular melanoma is the most common type of cancer affecting the eye. Although routine anatomopathological analysis of lesions is quite precise, histological features are not always sufficient to determine tumour aggressiveness. An earlier detection of primary melanoma would help improve prognosis. Most melanocyte markers are based on pigment synthesis, hence shared by benign and malignant lesions. Markers identifying malignant lesions are needed. We have recently identified the detection of RACK1 on tissue sections as a possible marker of malignancy of human melanocytic proliferations. We wished to obtain the tangible proof of RACK1 detection utility as a marker of melanocytic malignancy by testing a series of early melanoma stages. METHODS: A collection of samples has been constituted consisting of 30 different samples of stage I and II cutaneous melanoma, blue naevi and uveal melanoma of good prognosis, as well as control tissues consisting of common naevi, stage III and IV melanoma and bad prognosis uveal melanoma. Detection of RACK1 and MITF by double immunofluorescence has been performed on sections. RESULTS: RACK1 was abundantly detected in most malignant samples from stage I onwards. In contrast, RACK1 was not detected in normal epidermal melanocytes and was poorly detected in nevi. CONCLUSIONS: Confirmation of RACK1 detection as malignancy marker in melanoma will be further exploited looking for partners in the tissue collection.



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