Prognostic classification of malignant melanomas by combining clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical parameters.

In a retrospective study the prognostic relevance of clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and flow-cytometric parameters in primary malignant melanomas was evaluated using both the receiver operating characteristic ROC procedure and the logistic regression model. The proteolytic enzymes collagenase IV, cathepsin B, and cathepsin D proved to be significant prognostic factors. Combining the results obtained with these enzymes with gender, anatomic site, tumour thickness, Clark's level, ulceration, pattern of invasive growth, and presence of large round cells resulted in greatly improved discrimination between metastasized and non-metastasized cases.

Soluble HLA class I antigens in plasma of patients with malignant melanoma.

The high mortality rate of melanoma patients who develop metastases prompted us to look for prognostic markers to determine high-risk and non-risk patients at the primary tumour stage. Therefore, we quantified plasma concentrations of soluble HLA class I antigens (sHLA-I) by ELISA in patients with primary tumours (MM-P) and with metastases (MM-M), respectively, and compared them to a control group. Whereas healthy probands (n = 55) and MM-M (n = 38) showed similar mean values of sHLA-I (1.

Quantification of cathepsin D in plasma of patients with malignant melanoma.

The high mortality rate of melanoma patients who develop metastases prompted us to seek for a prognostic soluble marker to identify high-risk and non-risk patients at the stage of the primary tumour. Therefore, we developed a new ELISA for quantifying plasma concentrations of the proteolytic enzyme cathepsin D (CD) in patients with primary tumours (MM-P) and with metastases (MM-M), respectively, compared to a control group. Whereas healthy probands (n = 56) and MM-P (n = 68) showed similar mean values of CD (0.

Soluble HLA class I and class II antigens in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Soluble HLA class I (sHLA-I) and soluble HLA class II (sHLA-II) antigen levels during different stages of disease were investigated in paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 37 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using ELISA and Western blot analysis. Soluble HLA-II antigens in the serum of untreated patients with the relapsing-remitting type of MS (RRMS) were found to be significantly elevated in acute relapse as compared to values obtained from patients under steroid treatment, in remission or healthy controls. No significant differences in circulating sHLA-I levels could be detected.