Serological landscape of cytokines in cutaneous melanoma

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Paganelli, Alessia^{a; d; 1} | Garbarino, Federico^{a; d; 1} | Toto, Paola^{b; 1} | Martino, Giuseppe Di^c | D’Urbano, Marika^d | Auriemma, Matteo^e | Giovanni, Pamela Di^f | Panarese, Fabrizio^e | Staniscia, Tommaso^c | Amerio, Paolo^e | Paganelli, Roberto^{d; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Dermatology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy | [b] Private practice, Chieti, Italy | [c] Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, Section of Hygiene, University “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy | [d] Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy | [e] Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, Section of Dermatology, University “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy | [f] Department of Pharmacy, University “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Roberto Paganelli, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini, 66013 Chieti Scalo, Italy. E-mail: rpaganel@unich.it.

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this manuscript and should be considered first co-authors.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: To date, serological markers to monitor melanoma progression and response to therapy are lacking. In this context cytokines appear to be promising biomarkers of the disease. OBJECTIVE: To compare cytokine and chemokine levels in melanoma patients and in healthy controls and to assess possible variations according to melanoma stage. METHODS: Serum chemokine and cytokine levels were determined by ELISA in 34 patients diagnosed histologically of malignant melanoma. Seven healthy volunteers were used as controls. RESULTS: We found a subset of cytokines (CCL3, CCL4, IFN-γ and IL-10) to be significantly higher in melanoma patients than in control group, thus confirming the importance of the inflammation in cancer. While CCL3 increased with tumor progression, IFN-γ and IL-10 showed higher levels in stage I patients. Moreover, we noticed a direct correlation between CCL3 level and the presence of ulceration in the primary tumor; on the contrary, CCL4, IL-10 and IFN-γ were lowered down in patients with ulcerated melanoma. CONCLUSIONS: These results expand and confirm observations made in other studies focusing on a more limited number of molecules. This extended panel of cytokines examines the potential roles of type2 cytokines (such as IL-4) and many chemokines (mainly CCL3) as biomarkers in melanoma progression.

Keywords: Cytokines, chemokines, melanoma, biomarkers, cancer immunology

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-190370

Journal: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 333-342, 2019