ABSTRACT

CD34 promotes melanoma cell motility, negative regulation of cellular response to hypoxia and positive regulation of vasculogenesis. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) is responsible for angiogenic response in endothelial cells, increases proliferation, metastasis, and survival of melanoma cells. The aim of our study was evaluation of relationship between CD34 immunoexpression and IL-8 serum concentrations in melanoma patients. The study was conducted on patients with melanoma that were divided in: Clark II (17 patients – 19.3%), Clark III (33 patients – 37.5%), Clark IV (22 patients – 25%), and Clark V (16 patients – 18.2%) levels. CD34 expression was absent for Clark II melanomas, and positive for Clark III (6.1%), Clark IV (40.9%), and Clark V (56.2%). The CD34 immune-mark was highly positive only for Clark IV and V levels. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) had high values (above 15 pg/mL) for all patients with melanoma (58.9% - Clark II; 87.8% - Clark III; 90.9% - Clark IV and 93.7% - Clark V). We have found a strong and statistically significant correlation between CD34 and IL-8 for Clark IV (r = 0.54, P < 0.05) and Clark V (r = 0.72, P < 0.05) melanomas. CD34 and IL-8 are associated with poor prognosis of melanoma, metastasis, and neoangiogenesis.