Abstract

BACKGROUND The interaction of the integrin receptors with their ligands (collagen, laminin, fibronectin, and others) has a crucial role during the reorganisation of the extracellular matrix and the metastatic process. The presence of particular vascular patterns in uveal melanoma is associated with the development of metastases. There is some evidence that interactions between the tumour cells and the extracellular matrix are responsible for the shape of these patterns.

METHODS The expression of VLA-2, VLA-3, and α_v integrin receptors was examined by immunohistochemistry on paraffin embedded tumour specimens from 92 uveal melanomas (iris melanomas excluded). Possible correlations between these results and the tumour vascular patterns, the histological features of the tumours as well as the clinical outcome of the patients, were investigated.

RESULTS The expression of VLA-2 in tumours was associated with the presence of vascular networks (p = 0.05). Tumours with less than 25% VLA-3 positive cells infiltrated the sclera more frequently than those with more than 25% VLA-3 cell positivity (p = 0.05). Tumours expressing less than 50% α_v positive cells were associated with the mixed or epithelioid cell type (p = 0.05) and, with less statistical precision, with the presence of extraocular growth (p = 0.07). The univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of developing metastases within the first 5 years after diagnosis did not depend on the expression of the integrin receptors investigated.

CONCLUSION The potential biological importance of the associations between integrin expression and the histopathological features of the tumours found in the present study remains to be elucidated in future experiments. The immunohistochemical detection of VLA-2, VLA-3, and α_vintegrins had no prognostic value in our preliminary report.