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Query: UMLS:C0025202 (melanoma)
 69,561 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The comparison of distinct cell-differentiation models can help to answer the question whether there are common signalling pathways activated in the cells during the differentiation process or not. The differentiation of PC12 pheochromocytoma cells in response to NGF, the differentiation of melanoma B16 cells triggered by alpha-MSH, the formation of myotubes by L6E9 skeletal muscle myoblasts deprived of FCS or differentiation of HL-60 cells in response to steroid hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 share some similarities in the activation of signal transduction pathways. Differentiation-inducing agents stimulate sustained activation and nuclear translocation of MAP kinases (ERK1 and ERK2). Some of differentiation-inducing agents activate PI3-kinase as well, and the inhibition of the PI3K/p70S6K pathway blocks the process of differentiation in the cells.
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PMID:[Does the universal "signal transduction pathway of differentiation" exist? Comparison of different cell differentiation experimental models with differentiation of HL-60 cells in response to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3]. 1035 95

The activation of cell cycle checkpoints in response to genotoxic stressors is essential for the maintenance of genomic integrity. Although most prior studies of cell cycle effects of UV irradiation have used UVC, this UV range does not penetrate the earth's atmosphere. Thus, we have investigated the mechanisms of ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation-induced cell cycle arrest in a biologically relevant target cell type, the early stage human melanoma cell line, WM35. Irradiation of WM35 cells with UVB resulted in arrests throughout the cell cycle: at the G1/S transition, in S phase and in G2. G1 arrest was accompanied by increased association of p21 with cyclin E/cdk2 and cyclin A/cdk2, increased binding of p27 to cyclin E/cdk2 and inhibition of these kinases. A loss of Cdc25A expression was associated with an increased inhibitory phosphotyrosine content of cyclin E- and cyclin A-associated cdk2 and may also contribute to G1 arrest following UVB irradiation. The association of Cdc25A with 14-3-3 was increased by UVB. Reduced cyclin D1 protein and increased binding of p21 and p27 to cyclin D1/cdk4 complexes were also observed. The loss of cyclin D1 could not be attributed to inhibition of either MAPK or PI3K/PKB pathways, since both were activated by UVB. Cdc25B levels fell and the remaining protein showed an increased association with 14-3-3 in response to UVB. Losses in cyclin B1 expression and an increased binding of p21 to cyclin B1/cdk1 complexes also contributed to inhibition of this kinase activity, and G2/M arrest. Oncogene (2000) 19, 4480 - 4490.
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PMID:UVB induced cell cycle checkpoints in an early stage human melanoma line, WM35. 1100 21

During melanoma development, transformed cells evade keratinocyte-mediated control by downregulating cell adhesion molecules. This study investigated the regulation of cell adhesion by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in melanoma. Melanocytes and two melanoma lines, WM164 and WM35, expressed normal level E-cadherin and Desmoglein 1, whereas most melanomas (18 out of 20) expressed no E-cadherin and significantly reduced Desmoglein 1. Overexpression of dominant negative E-cadherin and Desmoglein in melanocytes demonstrated that both molecules contribute to adhesion between melanocytes and keratinocytes. In contrast to melanocytes, most melanomas expressed HGF. All melanocytic cells expressed the HGF receptor c-Met, and autocrine HGF caused constitutive activation of c-Met, MAPK and PI3K. When autocrine activation was induced with HGF-expressing adenovirus, E-cadherin and Desmoglein 1 were decreased in melanocytes, WM164 and WM35. MAPK inhibitor PD98059 and PI3K inhibitor wortmannin partially blocked the downregulation, suggesting that both pathways are involved in this process. c-Met was coimmunoprecipitated with E-cadherin, Desmoglein 1 and Plakoglobin, suggesting that they form a complex (es) that acts to regulate intercellular adhesion. Together, the results indicate that autocrine HGF decouples melanomas from keratinocytes by downregulating E-cadherin and Desmoglein 1, therefore frees melanoma cells from the control by keratinocytes and allows dissemination of the tumor mass.
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PMID:Downregulation of E-cadherin and Desmoglein 1 by autocrine hepatocyte growth factor during melanoma development. 1178 26

Autotaxin (ATX), an exo-nucleotide pyrophosphatase and phosphodiesterase, stimulates tumor cell motility at sub-nanomolar levels and augments invasiveness and angiogenesis. We investigated the role of G protein-coupled phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma (PI3Kgamma) in ATX-mediated tumor cell motility stimulation. Pretreatment of human melanoma cell line A2058 with wortmannin or LY294002 inhibited ATX-induced motility. ATX increased the PI3K activity in p110gamma, but not p85, immunoprecipitates. This effect was abrogated by PI3K inhibitors or inhibited by pertussis toxin. Furthermore, stimulation of tumor cell motility by ATX was inhibited by catalytically inactive form of PI3Kgamma, strongly indicating the crucial role of PI3Kgamma for ATX-mediated motility in human melanoma cells
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PMID:Autotaxin promotes motility via G protein-coupled phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma in human melanoma cells. 1194 9

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) proteins nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity are regulated by diverse protein kinases in response to extracellular stimuli by cytokines, growth factors and stress. Using two melanoma-derived cell lines that exhibit marked differences in basal activities of MAPKs and PI3K-AKT, we studied changes both in STAT activities and in their sensitization to apoptosis. Activating mutations of B-RAF (T1796A) and impaired expression of PTEN are detected in LU1205, but not in FEMX melanoma cells, and are reflected in high basal levels of expression and activities of MAPKs and PI3K-AKT. Treatment with either PD98059 (PD) or LY294002 (LY), the pharmacological inhibitors of MEK-ERK and PI3K, respectively, markedly increased GAS-Luc activity in LU1205, but not in FEMX cells. Tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3/5 and of JAK2 also increased upon treatment of LU1205 cells with either PD or LY, suggesting that constitutive active MAPK and PI3K signals inhibit tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK/STATs. Treatment of FEMX and LU1205 with PD sensitized the cells to apoptosis, albeit by TNFalpha and TRAIL death cascades, respectively, indicating that additional yet distinct targets are affected by each signaling pathway. Indeed, the combination of LY and PD treatment synergistically increased the apoptosis of LU1205 and FEMX cells. Overall, whereas PI3K and MAPK downregulate JAK-STAT signaling, additional targets are affected by these kinases and sensitizes melanoma to apoptosis via distinct death cascades.
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PMID:ERK and PI3K negatively regulate STAT-transcriptional activities in human melanoma cells: implications towards sensitization to apoptosis. 1282 43

Increased cell proliferation, which is a hallmark of aggressive malignant neoplasms, requires a general increase in protein synthesis and a specific increase in the synthesis of replication-promoting proteins. Transient increase in the general protein synthesis rate, as well as preferential translation of specific mRNAs coding for growth promoting proteins (e.g. cyclin D1), takes place during normal mitogenic response. A number of extensively studied growth signal transduction pathways (Ras, PI3K, MAPK, mTOR-dependent pathways) activate the function and expression of various components of the translational machinery. In abnormal situations, constitutive activation of signal transduction pathways (e.g. oncogenic activation of Ras or Myc) leads to continuous upregulation of key elements of translational machinery. On the other hand, tumor suppressor genes (p53, pRb) downregulate ribosomal and tRNA synthesis, and their inactivation results in uncontrolled production of these translational components. During recent years, a significant effort has been dedicated to determining whether expression of translation factors is increased in human tumors using clinical biopsy specimens. The results of these studies indicate that expression of particular translation initiation factors is not always increased in human neoplasms. The pattern of expression is characteristic for a particular tumor type. For example, eIF-4E is usually increased in bronchioloalveolar carcinomas but not in squamous cell carcinomas of the lung. Interestingly, in certain highly proliferative and aggressive neoplasms (e.g. squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, melanoma), the expression of eIF-4E is barely detectable. These findings suggest that mechanisms for increasing general protein synthesis in various neoplasms differ significantly. Finally, the possibility of qualitative alterations in the translational machinery, rather than a simple increase in the activity of its components, is discussed along with the possibility of targeting those qualitative differences for tumor therapy.
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PMID:The role of translation in neoplastic transformation from a pathologist's point of view. 1509 73

The insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) is crucial for many functions in neoplastic cells, for example, antiapoptosis. Recently, we demonstrated that the cyclolignan PPP efficiently inhibited phosphorylation of IGF-1R without interfering with insulin receptor activity. PPP preferentially reduced phosphorylated Akt, as compared to phosphorylated Erk1/2, and caused apoptosis. Now, we aimed to investigate how PPP inhibits the IGF-1R tyrosine kinase (IGF-1RTK) and the PI3K/Akt apoptotic pathway. Using a baculovirus driven IGF-1RTK we found that PPP interfered with tyrosine phosphorylation in the activation loop of the kinase domain. Specifically, it blocked phosphorylation of tyrosine (Y) 1136, while sparing the two others (Y1131 and Y1135). To explore the impact of inhibition of Y1136 on Akt phosphorylation we transfected P6 cells (overexpressing IGF-1R) and malignant melanoma cells with different IGF-1R mutants, including Y1136F (tyrosine replaced by phenylalanine). Y1136F was found to strongly decrease IGF-1 stimulated phosphorylation of Akt. Conversely, Akt phosphorylation was weakly affected in the Y1131F transfectant. Taken together, our data suggest that the preferential inhibition of phosphorylated Akt, after PPP treatment, may be due to specific inhibition of Y1136. PPP was proven not to interfere directly with Akt or any of its downstream molecules in the apoptotic pathway.
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PMID:The cyclolignan PPP induces activation loop-specific inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor. Link to the phosphatidyl inositol-3 kinase/Akt apoptotic pathway. 1533 55

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is expressed, albeit at low or intermediate levels, in human melanomas at the different stages of tumor progression. Coexpression of EGFR with its ligand TGFalpha indicates their role in paracrine and autocrine growth regulation of melanomas. As it was previously observed for several types of cancer, specific inhibitors of EGFR-mediated signaling may reduce antiapoptotic properties of cancer cells and sensitize them to cytotoxic drugs. We recently reported that arsenite, particularly in combination with inhibitors of the PI3K-AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways, induces high levels of apoptosis in different melanomas. Since EGFR signaling operates via activation of the PI3K-AKT and MEK-ERK pathways, we suggested that the combination of arsenite and EGFR inhibitors might also effectively induce apoptosis in melanoma. Here, we demonstrate that a moderate concentration of arsenite (5-10 muM) indeed upregulates apoptosis induced by EGFR inhibitors in EGFR-positive melanomas. In contrast, induction of apoptosis in melanomas with negligible surface expression of EGFR or with defective EGFR signaling requires direct suppression of the PI3K-AKT and MAPK pathways by specific pharmacological inhibitors in the presence of arsenite. Under these conditions, metastatic melanoma cell lines undergo TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)- and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha)-mediated apoptosis. Taken together, these data provide additional approaches in sensitizing melanomas to the cytotoxic effects of specific inhibitors of survival pathways.
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PMID:Combined treatment with EGFR inhibitors and arsenite upregulated apoptosis in human EGFR-positive melanomas: a role of suppression of the PI3K-AKT pathway. 1609 54

The heat shock protein Hsp90 is a potential target for drug discovery of novel anticancer agents. By affecting this protein, several cell signaling pathways may be simultaneously modulated. The geldanamycin analog 17AAG has been shown to inhibit Hsp90 and associated proteins. Its clinical use, however, is hampered by poor solubility and thus, difficulties in formulation. Therefore, a water-soluble derivative was desirable and 17-dimethylaminoethylamino-17-demethoxy-geldanamycin (17DMAG) is such a derivative. Studies were carried out in order to evaluate the activity and molecular mechanism(s) of 17DMAG in comparison with those of 17-allylamino-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG). 17DMAG was found to be more potent than 17AAG in a panel of 64 different patient-derived tumor explants studied in vitro in the clonogenic assay. The tumor types that responded best included mammary cancers (six of eight), head and neck cancers (two of two), sarcomas (four of four), pancreas carcinoma (two of three), colon tumors (four of eight for 17AAG and six of eight for 17DMAG), and melanoma (two of seven). Bioinformatic comparisons suggested that, while 17AAG and 17DMAG are likely to share the same mode(s) of action, there was very little similarity with standard anticancer agents. Using three permanent human melanoma cell lines with differing sensitivities to 17AAG and 17DMAG (MEXF 276L, MEXF 462NL and MEXF 514L), we found that Hsp90 protein was reduced following treatment at a concentration associated with total growth inhibition. The latter occurred in MEXF 276L cells only, which are most sensitive to both compounds. The depletion of Hsp90 was more pronounced in cells exposed to 17DMAG than in those treated with 17AAG. The reduction in Hsp90 was associated with the expression of erbB2 and erbB3 in MEXF 276L, while erbB2 and erbB3 were absent in the more resistant MEXF 462NL and MEXF 514L cells. Levels of known Hsp90 client proteins such as phosphorylated AKT followed by AKT, cyclin D1 preceding cdk4, and craf-1 declined as a result of drug treatment in all three melanoma cell lines. However, the duration of drug exposure needed to achieve these effects was variable. All cell lines showed increased expression of Hsp70 and activated cleavage of PARP. No change in PI3K expression was observed and all melanoma cells were found to harbor the activating V599E BRAF kinase mutation. The results of our in vitro studies are consistent with both 17AAG and 17DMAG acting via the same molecular mechanism, i.e. by modulating Hsp90 function. Since 17DMAG can be formulated in physiological aqueous solutions, the data reported here strongly support the development of 17DMAG as a more pharmaceutically practicable congener of 17AAG.
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PMID:Comparison of 17-dimethylaminoethylamino-17-demethoxy-geldanamycin (17DMAG) and 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG) in vitro: effects on Hsp90 and client proteins in melanoma models. 1584 78

The melanoma differentiation-associated gene (mda-7; approved gene symbol IL24) is a tumor suppressor gene whose protein expression in normal cells is restricted to the immune system and to melanocytes. Recent studies have shown that mda-7 gene transfer inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in melanoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and other tumor types through activation of various intracellular signaling pathways. In the current study, we demonstrate that Ad-mda7 transduction of human pancreatic cancer cells results in G2/M cell cycle arrest and cell killing. Cytotoxicity is mediated via apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Tumor cell killing correlates with regulation of proteins involved in the Wnt and PI3K pathways: beta-catenin, APC, GSK-3, JNK, and PTEN. Additionally, we identify bystander cell killing activated by exposure of pancreatic tumor cells to secreted human MDA-7 protein. In pancreatic tumor cells, exogenous MDA-7 protein activates STAT3 and kills cells via engagement of IL-20 receptors. The specificity of bystander killing is demonstrated using neutralizing anti-MDA-7 antibodies and anti-receptor antibodies, which inhibit the apoptotic effects. In sum, we show that Ad-mda7 is able to induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via inhibition of the Wnt/PI3K pathways and identify a novel bystander mechanism of MDA-7 killing in pancreatic cancer that functions via IL-20 receptors.
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PMID:mda-7/IL24 kills pancreatic cancer cells by inhibition of the Wnt/PI3K signaling pathways: identification of IL-20 receptor-mediated bystander activity against pancreatic cancer. 1585 Oct 11


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