neuropeptide-y and Skin-Neoplasms

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is involved in the carcinogenesis of different tumours, especially neural crest-derived tumours.. The aim of our study is to investigate the expression of NPY on melanoma and its relation with prognostic histological parameters and survival.. This is a retrospective observational study of two independent series, with a total of 79 primary melanomas, diagnosed in two independent University Hospitals in Spain, from January 2000 to December 2004.. We found a significant higher expression of NPY on superficial spreading melanoma and lentigo maligna (40%) (P = 0.030). Thinner tumours were associated with higher NPY expression (Clark level, P = 0.003; Breslow level, P = 0.012). Melanomas with low NPY expression were associated with intense cell proliferation (Ki-67, P = 0.034), high density of peritumoral mast cell infiltrates (P = 0.033) and low E-cadherin expression (P = 0.031). Melanomas with high NPY expression exhibited significant differences in terms of relapse time (median: 114 vs. 68 months, P = 0.008) and overall survival (114 vs. 74 months, P = 0.004).. High expression of NPY was associated with better prognostic histological parameters, low peritumoral mast cells density, presence of adhesion proteins and better outcome.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cadherins; Cell Proliferation; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Humans; Hutchinson's Melanotic Freckle; Ki-67 Antigen; Male; Mast Cells; Melanoma; Middle Aged; Neuropeptide Y; Retrospective Studies; Skin Neoplasms; Survival Rate; Tumor Burden

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is widely found in the nervous system and has a role in numerous physiologic processes. In addition, NPY receptors are expressed in neuroendocrine tumors, breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, and some types of sarcomas. Different neuropeptides, particularly α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), seem to play a role in the pathogenesis of melanoma.. We sought to analyze the expression of NPY in cutaneous melanoma, its association with clinical and histologic features, and its correlation with α-MSH.. This was an observational study of the immunohistochemical expression of NPY and α-MSH in tissue samples of cutaneous melanomas, different types of melanocytic nevi, and melanoma metastases diagnosed from 2004 to 2008 in San Jorge Hospital, Huesca, Spain.. A total of 184 lesions were studied: 49 primary cutaneous melanomas, 12 melanoma metastases (9 cutaneous and 3 lymphatic), and 123 melanocytic nevi. Immunostaining revealed that levels of NPY and α-MSH were significantly higher in melanomas than in melanocytic nevi (P < .001). Melanoma metastases were negative for both neuropeptides. Nodular melanomas showed the highest median percentage of NPY positive cells (75% [20-95]) followed by superficial spreading melanoma (25% [2-92]), whereas lentigo maligna were negative (0% [0-0]). Significant, direct associations between NPY expression and vertical growth (P = .0141) and presence of metastasis (P = .0196) were observed. NPY and α-MSH were positively correlated in cutaneous melanoma (0.49, P < .001).. The sample size of melanomas was not very large.. Our study demonstrates that NPY is significantly expressed in melanomas, especially the nodular type, being associated with invasiveness independently of proliferative markers such as thickness, ulceration, and mitotic index.

Topics: Aged; alpha-MSH; Female; Hormones; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Ki-67 Antigen; Male; Melanoma; Middle Aged; Mitotic Index; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neuropeptide Y; Nevus, Pigmented; Skin Neoplasms

Calorie restriction (CR) is known to have profound effects on tumor incidence. A typical consequence of CR is hunger, and we hypothesized that the neuroendocrine response to CR might in part mediate CR's antitumor effects. We tested CR under appetite suppression using two models: neuropeptide Y (NPY) knockout mice and monosodium glutamate-injected mice. While CR was protective in control mice challenged with a two-stage skin carcinogenesis model, papilloma development was neither delayed nor reduced by CR in the monosodium glutamate-treated and NPY knockout mice. Adiponectin levels were also not increased by CR in the appetite-suppressed mice. We propose that some of CR's beneficial effects cannot be separated from those imposed on appetite, and that NPY neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus are involved in the translation of reduced intake to downstream physiological and functional benefits.

Topics: 9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; Animals; Appetite; Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus; Caloric Restriction; Female; Hunger; Male; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Neoplasms, Experimental; Neurons; Neuropeptide Y; Papilloma; RNA, Messenger; Skin Neoplasms; Sodium Glutamate; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate

The occurrence of neuropeptides was studied in neurofibromas of von Recklinghausen's disease by indirect immunofluorescence. All non-plexiform cutaneous neurofibromas contained abundant vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, peptide histidine-isoleucine and calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactive nerves. The nerves were small and unmyelinated. Neuropeptides might be responsible for itch that occurs especially in small cutaneous neurofibromas. Neuropeptides are also suggested to act as modulators and/or trophic factors for neurofibroma growth.

Topics: Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Neurofibromatosis 1; Neuropeptide Y; Neuropeptides; Peptide PHI; Skin Neoplasms; Somatostatin; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide