Reduced expression of actin-binding proteins, h-caldesmon and calponin h1, in the vascular smooth muscle inside melanoma lesions: an adverse prognostic factor for malignant melanoma

Abstract

These findings suggest that alterations of the tumour vessels are an important factor for the prognosis of malignant melanoma, and that suppression of h-CD and CNh1 in the blood vessels in malignant melanoma reflects a structural fragility of the vessels, leading to their easy penetration by tumour cells. Defective expression of these molecules is likely to be an important marker for metastatic potential and for poor prognosis of melanoma.