Tumor cell markers in uveal melanoma

Monoclonal antibodies to the melanoma-associated antigens HMB-45 and NKI/C3, and for S-100 protein were applied to archival tissue of 43 intraocular melanomas. Tn addition, the expression of the oncoproteins ras-p21 (ras 10) and mutated Ha-ras (E 184) as well as neu/erb-B2 (p185) were immunohistochemically evaluated. Incubation with antibodies to HMB-45 and NKI/C3 revealed consistently moderate to strong staining in all cases. Comparable ras-p21 immunostaining with normal epithelium observed in infiltrating components with a pronounced heterogeneous pattern, was particulary evident in epitheloid tumor cells. In melanomas of the spindle cell type B there was a tendency for patients with neu/erb-B2 positivity to have a worse prognosis. Using the chi-squared test for trend a significant correlation was found between S-100 reactivity, neu/erb-B2 amplification and the clinical outcome.