Coexpression of SOX10/CD271 (p75NTR) and beta-galactosidase in large to giant congenital melanocytic nevi of pediatric patients

Background: Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMNs) are melanocytic neoplasms that can transform into melanoma. However, this development is impeded in the majority of cases and mostly affects patients with large or giant CMNs. Methods: To elucidate mechanisms that keep CMNs from malignant transformation, CMN tissue biopsies were investigated for p-ERK and senescence markers by immunohistochemistry and for SOX10/CD271 (p75 NTR ) by immunofluorescence. CMN cells were cultivated, and MTT assays were performed for evaluating cell viability. Mutation status for NRAS and BRAF was performed by real-time PCR. Results: 13 CMNs (from patients aged 0.5–11.8 years, mean: 2.7) showed immunoreactivity for SOX10/ CD271 (p75 NTR ) in 34.2%. p-ERK was immunoreactive in 80% (4/5); �-galactosidase was significantly stronger expressed in CMNs compared to melanocytic nevi of patients over 70 years (p = 0.0085). The 5 CMN cultures were immunoreactive for SOX10/CD271 (p75 NTR ) in 36.7%. By silencing SOX10 by siRNA in 2 CMN cell cultures, cell viability decreased significantly. NRAS Q61K mutation was found in 91.7% (11/12) and BRAF V600E in 6.3% of all analyzable CMNs (1/16). Conclusions: Oncogene-induced senescence might prevent malignant transformation through activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. SOX10 is necessary for the viability of human CMN cell cultures and may be responsible for clinical changes during aging. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000362490 Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-97280 Published Version Originally published at: Barysch, Marjam J; Levesque, Mitchell P; Cheng, Phil; Karpova, Maria B; Mihic-Probst, Daniela; Civenni, Gianluca; Shakhova, Olga; Sommer, Lukas; Biedermann, Thomas; Schiestl, Clemens; Dummer, Reinhard (2014). Coexpression of SOX10/CD271 (p75NTR) and beta-galactosidase in large to giant congenital melanocytic nevi of pediatric patients. Dermatopathology, 1(1):35-46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000362490 © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel 2296–3529/14/0011–0035$39.50/0 Original Paper Dermatopathology 2014;1:35–46 Coexpression of SOX10/CD271 (p75 NTR ) and β-Galactosidase in Large to Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevi of Pediatric Patients Marjam J. Barysch a Mitchell P. Levesque a Phil Cheng a Maria B. Karpova a Daniela Mihic-Probst b Gianluca Civenni f Olga Shakhova c Lukas Sommer c Thomas Biedermann d, e Clemens Schiestl d, e Reinhard Dummer a Departments of a Dermatology and b Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, c Institute of Anatomy, University Zurich, d Pediatric Burn Centre, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, and e Children’s Research Center, Zurich , and f Laboratories of Experimental Oncology, Department of Anatomy, Institute of Oncology Research, Bellinzona , Switzerland