ABSTRACT
The expressions of p-STAT3 and osteopontin in 22 cases of normal nevi and 43 cases of malignant melanoma were immunohistochemically detected,and the correlation between p-STAT3 and osteopontin in malignant melanoma and the correlations of p-STAT3 (or osteopontin) with invasion,metastasis and thickness of malignant melanoma were examined.The results showed p-STAT3 was expressed in 2 of 22 cases of normal nevi and 30 of 43 cases of malignant melanoma,while osteopontin was expressed in 3 cases of normal nevi and 29 cases of malignant melanoma.The expressions of p-STAT3 and osteopontin in melanoma were significantly higher than that in benign nevi.There existed significant correlations between the expression of p-STAT3 and that of osteopontin in melanoma.Furthermore,the expression rates of p-STAT3 were significantly higher in invasive or metastatic melanomas than that their non-invasive or non-metastatic counterparts,and the expression rates of osteopontin were significantly higher in invasive melanomas than that in non-invasive ones.It is concluded that p-STAT3 and osteopontin may play important roles in the pathogenesis of malignant melanoma.