Abstract: Objective To detect the expression of an apoptosis inhibitor, survivin; in human malignant melanoma(MM),and its relationship with the clinical features of, as well as the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and proliferative cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) in MM.Methods Tissue sections from 36 cases of MM and 30 pigmented nevi(as control) were examined with immunohistochemical technique and morphological quantitative analysis for the protein expressions of survivin, VEGF and PCNA.Results The expression of survivin was detected in both MM and pigmented nevi, but its level was higher in MM than that in pigmented nevi(t=3.87, P<0.01).Of the 36 MM cases, 30(83.3%)were positive for VEGF, and 36(100%)for PCNA, whereas neither was detected in pigmented nevi.The expression level of survivin did not correlate with the clinical features of MM patients, including age, gender, tumor sizc and metastasis(P>0.05),but closely correlated with VEGF and PCNA expression in MM(both P<0.01).Conclusion Survivin might take part in the growth of and VEGF-rclatcd honor angiogenesis in MM.

Key words: Vascular endothelial growth factors, Proliferating cell nuclear antigens, Melanoma, Survivin