[Histotopochemical quantification of glycosaminoglycans in melanomas and the surrounding epidermis]

15 cases of human malignant melanoma were studied and classified into 5 superficial speading (SSM), 5 nodular melanomas (NM), and 5 melanoma metastasis (Met). The tissue was fixed with formaldehyde and cetylpyridium chloride (CPC). Glycosaminoglycans (GAG) or proteoglycans respectively were characterized by Alcian blue staining following the method of critical electrolyte concentration (CEC) (Scott, Dorling 1965) and by testes hyaluronidase. The staining intensities were quantified by a Leitz MPV photometer microscope in basement membranes (BM) and tumor septa. Tumor septa, which may be looked on as correlates of epithelial BM material, show increased straining intensities as compared to the normal BM (nBM) around the tumor. It is concluded from the sensitivity to testes hyaluronidase and the straining pattern that these are caused by increased straining of GAG of the type of chondroitin sulfates and possibly of dermatan sulfate while unsulfated GAG are rather decreased. The GAG pattern in BM in SSM shows characteristics of tumor septa and of nBM as well. The staining of the tumors shows higher intensities than that of all structures in the normal skin. It is concluded that increasing malignancy is accompanied by increasing changes in GAG which can be quantified by the method used topohistochemically discerning the healthy tissue from malignant structures.