Elena Campione, Emanuela Medda, Evelin J. Paternò, Laura Diluvio, Ilaria Ricozzi, Isabella Carboni, Gaetana Costanza, Piero Rossi, Cristina Rapanotti, Alessandro Di Stefani, Sergio Chimenti, Luca Bianchi, Augusto Orlandi
DOI: 10.2340/00015555-1821

The detoxifying enzyme glutathione–s–transferase pi (GST–π) is present in keratinocytes and melanocytes and exerts a protective role against tumour progression. Melanomas close to melanocytic naevus remnants occur less frequently on sun-exposed areas, whereas solar dermal elastosis, hallmark of chronic sun-damage, characterise melanomas on sun-exposed skin. We evaluated the expression of GST-π in 113 melanomas associated to melanocytic naevus remnants or to solar dermal elastosis, classified according to clinical characteristics, history of sun exposure, histological subtypes and AJCC staging. Chronically sun-damaged melanomas, identified by moderate–severe solar dermal elastosis, showed a lower nuclear GST-π expression and a higher thickness than those related to melanocytic naevus remnants (p<0.03). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that male gender and chronic sun-exposure are independent risk factors significantly associated to melanomas localised on the trunk (OR=3.36, 95% CI: 1.31–8.65; OR=5.97, 95% CI: 1.71–20.87). If confirmed on a larger series, lower expression of nuclear GST-π in melanoma cells could represent a possible marker of chronically sun-damaged melanoma pathogenesis.

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