CXCR1/CXCL12 axis and VEGF are critical for uveal melanoma progression

Uveal melanoma is the most common ocular tumor of adults. Almost 50% of uveal melanoma patients die of metastatic disease. The peculiar metastatisation in uveal melanoma through emathogen dissemination highlight the role of neoangiogenesis and migration, in which CXCR4/CXCL12 axis and VEGF play an important function. CXCR4-CXCL12-VEGF were detected by immunohistochemistry in 53 samples of uveal melanoma. Correlations with main clinic-pathological features were evaluate, as well as their potential impact on overall survival and disease-free survival. Moreover immunohistochemical and mRNA expression were evaluated in liver metastasis of two patients in our series. CXCR4 staining was present in 22 cases (41.4%) and significantly correlates with neoplastic progression and VEGF expression, while CXCL12 expression was positive in 23 cases (43.4%) and significatively correlated to tumor diameter and to the epithelioid-mixed cytotype. VEGF expression was positive in 21 (39.6%). Neither single protein expression neither their combined expression did not affect DFS and OAS. Moreover liver metastasis showed increased CXCR4 expression. Although CXCR4-CXCL12-VEGF expression in uveal melanoma failed to identify high risk patients, cross-interaction of CXCR4-CXCL12 axis and VEGF seem to have a role in uveal melanoma progression, adding prognostic information on this group of patients.