Estrogen Receptor Beta Expression in Melanomas Versus Dysplastic Nevi

Malignant melanoma is a tumor arising from melanocyte; this tumor rarely occurs before puberty, with higher mortality rate in males and better survival rate in female patients affected by metastatic melanoma (1, 2). These facts propose that a relationship and association may exist between estrogens and melanoma. The effects of estrogens are mediated by estrogen receptor alpha and beta (3) that are members of the nuclear hormone receptor family. Estrogen receptors act by ligand-dependent binding to the estrogen-response element, leading to transcriptional regulation of target genes (4). Although these receptors have a high degree of homology in the DNA-binding domain, they are different in their N-terminal and ligand-binding domain (E-domain) (5). Moreover; the effects of these two receptors are also different, while estrogen receptor alpha is associated with stimulation of growth. Estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) is associated with suppression of stimulation or inhibition of cells from multiplying (2).