EXPRESSION OF FIBROGENIC CYTOKINES IN DESMOPLASTIC MALIGNANT-MELANOMA

Desmoplastic malignant melanoma (DMM)) consists of amelanotic spindle- shaped melanoma cells and is accompanied by desmoplasia with fibrous s tromata, It has a strong tendency for local infiltrative growth and re currence and a propensity for neurotropism. It is not yet known which cytokine is responsible for the desmoplasia in DMM. In the present stu dy we investigated the roles of several fibrogenic cytokines and cytok ine receptors in DMM: basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), connectiv e tissue growth factor (CTGF), transforming growth factor-beta, platel et-derived growth factor (PDGF) and PDGF receptors, Immunostaining and ii? situ hybridization were conducted in four cases of DMM and four c ases of amelanotic malignant melanoma (AMM) as negative controls for d esmoplasia. PDGF-beta receptor, bFGF and CTGF were intensely expressed in the DMM specimens in comparison with the AMM specimens, The reacti on of PDGF-B ligand and CTGF: to PDGF-beta receptor, in addition to th e expression of bFGE may contribute to the desmoplasia in DMM.