Correlation between insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 serum level and melanoma progression

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2011-05, Vol.64 (5), p.865-872
• Main Authors: Panasiti, Vincenzo, MD, Naspi, Antimo, MD, Devirgiliis, Valeria, MD, Curzio, Michela, MD, Roberti, Vincenzo, MD, Curzio, Gianfranca, BS, Gobbi, Silvia, MD, Calvieri, Stefano, MD, Prof, Londei, Paola, MD, Prof
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Dermatology; Disease Progression; Female; Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 - blood; insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3; insulin-like growth factors; Male; Medical sciences; melanoma; Melanoma - blood; Melanoma - pathology; melanoma serum biomarkers; Middle Aged; ROC Curve; Skin Neoplasms - blood; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; tumor-produced proteases; Tumors of the skin and soft tissue. Premalignant lesions; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0190-9622; 1097-6787
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2010.03.035

Background Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein (IGFBP)-3 is the main carrier of circulating IGFs and the main modulator of their activity. IGFBP-3 controls cellular availability of IGFs, which cannot exert their pro-proliferative activity while bound to IGFBP-3. Proteolysis of IGFBP-3 is one mechanism to control IGF release. A reduction of serum IGFBP-3 levels and the associated increased availability of IGFs may represent a strategy whereby melanoma increases its metastatic potential. Objective The aim of our study was to evaluate the correlation between the IGFBP-3 serum level and melanoma stage. Methods The study included 41 patients, 24 male and 17 female, with median age of 60 years (range 24-80), affected by cutaneous melanoma. Blood samples were taken from each patient and IGFBP-3 serum levels were measured using Western blot analysis with commercial antibodies. Values were normalized using commercial IGFBP-3. Results The statistical analysis showed that full-size, glycosylated IGFBP-3 concentrations were significantly lower in the sera of patients with stage IV melanoma. Low serum levels of IGFBP-3 correlated with both disease progression and presence of disease at the time of sample collection. In patients who underwent follow-up visits with further collections of blood samples, the concentrations of glycosylated IGFBP-3 decreased only in those who showed progression of disease. Limitations Our study shows only preliminary results on a limited number of patients. Conclusion We demonstrate that there is a significant inverse correlation between the serum concentration of full-size, glycosylated IGFBP-3 and disease progression in patients with melanoma.