002), and there was no significant difference between BCC and normal skin (p = 0.818). The expression amount score based on western blotting is graphed in Fig. 2. To confirm the expression in phosphate

form, western blot analysis with phospho-Src and phospho-Yes was also performed in 2 MM, 2 SCC, 2 BCC and 2 normal skin tissues. Phospho-Src was expressed in all malignant skin selleck kinase inhibitor tumors and not expressed in normal skin tissues and phospho-Yes was expressed in MM and SCC but not in BCC and normal skin (Fig. 3). Figure 1 Western blot analysis for c-Src and c- Yes in malignant skin tumor and normal skin. (A) c-Src was expressed in malignant melanomas (MM) (M-1 – M-4), squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) (S-1 – S-4) and basal cell carcinomas (BCC) (B-1 – B-4), but not in normal skin (N-1 – N-4). (B) c-Yes was expressed in MM, SCC, but not in BCC and normal skin. Figure 2 The score of expression amount using western blotting.

(A) c-Src, (B) c-Yes. Figure 3 Western blot analysis for phospho-Src and phospho-Yes in malignant melanoma (M-7, M-8), squamous cell carcinoma (S-7, S-8), basal cell carcinoma (B-7, B-8) and normal skin (N-7, N-8). The expression pattern of the phosphate form mirrored that of the total form. Immunohistochemical examination Immunohistochemical study URMC-099 purchase showed that the staining pattern of c-Src and c-Yes in MM, SCC and BCC correlated with western blot analysis. c-Src protein was expressed in MM and SCC with moderate positivity, and BCC with mild positivity

(Fig. 4). Thymidine kinase c-Yes was expressed in MM with moderate positivity and SCC with strong positivity, but not in BCC (Fig. 5). Figure 4 Immunohistochemical staining of c-Src in (A) malignant melanoma (MM), (B) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and (C) basal cell carcinoma (BCC). c-Src protein is expressed in MM and SCC with moderate positivity, and BCC with mild positivity. Figure 5 Immunohistochemical staining of c-Yes in (A) malignant melanoma (MM), (B) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and (C) basal cell carcinoma (BCC). c-Yes was expressed in MM with moderate positivity and SCC with strong positivity, but was negative in BCC. Discussion The activation and functions of SFKs have been more investigated and better characterized in colon cancer and breast cancer compared to skin cancers. In colon cancer studies, c-Src protein level and kinase activity in the early-stages of colon cancer were found to be greater than in normal colonic mucosa [4, 5]. The activity was highest in moderately to well-differentiated colonic lesions, while poorly differentiated carcinomas and normal colonic mucosa showed lower c-Src kinase activity [6]. selleckchem Therefore, c-Src activity is directly related to the malignant potential of the cells, providing evidence that its activation contributes to the progression of colon cancer in the early and developing stages.