Expression of Wnt5a and its downstream effector beta-catenin in uveal melanoma.

Upregulation of the Wnt5a pathway has been reported in some cutaneous melanomas but its role in uveal melanoma has not been assessed. We thus sought to determine whether activation of the Wnt-signalling pathway occurred in uveal melanoma through upregulation of some of the key downstream effectors, and whether expression of these components was associated with tumour characteristics and clinical outcome. Expression of Wnt5a, MMP7, and beta-catenin was determined in 40 primary uveal melanomas by immunohistochemistry and correlated with patient prognosis.

Increased p21-activated kinase-1 expression is associated with invasive potential in uveal melanoma.

Prognosis in patients with uveal melanoma is poor as approximately half of all tumors metastasize and currently there are no effective treatments for disseminated disease. Differences in invasiveness between uveal melanomas could therefore be of major significance regarding clinical outcome. To identify genes associated with invasive potential, we have used microarray expression profiling combined with phenotypic characterization of uveal melanoma and melanocyte cell lines to define a gene signature associated with cellular invasion.

Proteomic analysis of uveal melanoma reveals novel potential markers involved in tumor progression.

Purpose: Patient survival in uveal melanoma may benefit from earlier recognition of potential metastases to the liver, but as yet, proper markers indicating metastases are not available. Identification of metastasis markers would therefore be of great value. The proteins that are expressed in two cell lines originating from two liver metastases were compared with the proteins expressed in a cell line obtained from the primary uveal melanoma of the same patient, to identify proteins that play a role in tumor progression as well as proteins that are expressed specifically in metastases.

A retrospective analysis of five intra-ocular lenses and the predictive value of six different intra-ocular lens power calculation formulas.

Purpose: To evaluate the refractive and visual outcome after implantation of five different lenses and to evaluate the accuracy of six different intra-ocular lens (IOL) power formulas.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Methods: In total, 288 eyes had cataract surgery with implantation of a polymethylmethacrylate lens (Centra55B) or a foldable silicone lens (AMO SI40, Staar AA, Silens 5, Pliolens).

Prognostic value of the disodium phosphate 32P uptake test in uveal melanoma: a long-term study.

Objective: To evaluate whether nuclear activity as measured by the disodium phosphate 32P (32P) uptake test for uveal melanoma is of prognostic value and corresponds to known prognostic factors.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 121 patients with choroidal and/or ciliary body melanoma, tested with the 32P uptake test before enucleation between January 1, 1973, and December 31, 1976, at the Leiden University Medical Center. We obtained the 25-year follow-up information of this group of patients and compared the 32P test results and histopathological variables with the long-term survival rates.

Expression profiling reveals that methylation of TIMP3 is involved in uveal melanoma development.

Uveal melanoma is associated with a high tumor-related mortality due to the propensity to develop metastases. The mechanisms that are responsible for malignant dissemination are largely unknown and need to be explored to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of metastases. To identify molecules involved in dissemination, we used cell lines derived from a primary uveal melanoma and 2 liver metastases from the same patient as a model for tumor progression.