Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0025202 (melanoma)
69,561 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Mucins provide a protective barrier for epithelial surfaces, and their overexpression in tumors has been implicated in malignancy. We have previously demonstrated that Muc4, a transmembrane mucin that promotes tumor growth and metastasis, physically interacts with the ErbB2 receptor tyrosine kinase and augments receptor tyrosine phosphorylation in response to the neuregulin-1beta (NRG1beta) growth factor. In the present study we demonstrate that Muc4 expression in A375 human melanoma cells, as well as MCF7 and T47D human breast cancer cells, enhances NRG1beta signaling through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway. In examining the mechanism underlying Muc4-potentiated ErbB2 signaling, we found that Muc4 expression markedly augments NRG1beta binding to A375 cells without altering the total quantity of receptors expressed by the cells. Cell-surface protein biotinylation experiments and immunofluorescence studies suggest that Muc4 induces the relocalization of the ErbB2 and ErbB3 receptors from intracellular compartments to the plasma membrane. Moreover, Muc4 interferes with the accumulation of surface receptors within internal compartments following NRG1beta treatment by suppressing the efficiency of receptor internalization. These observations suggest that transmembrane mucins can modulate receptor tyrosine kinase signaling by influencing receptor localization and trafficking and contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms by which mucins contribute to tumor growth and progression.
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PMID:The mucin Muc4 potentiates neuregulin signaling by increasing the cell-surface populations of ErbB2 and ErbB3. 1669 Jun 15

Although >66% of melanomas harbor activating mutations in BRAF and exhibit constitutive activity in the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway, it is unclear how effective MEK inhibition will be as a sole therapeutic strategy for melanoma. We investigated the anticancer activity of MEK inhibition in a panel of cell lines derived from radial growth phase (WM35) and vertical growth phase (WM793) of primary melanomas and metastatic melanomas (1205Lu, 451Lu, WM164, and C8161) in a three-dimensional spheroid model and found that the metastatic lines were completely resistant to MEK inhibition (U0126 and PD98059) but the earlier stage cell lines were not. Similarly, these same metastatic melanoma lines were also resistant to inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway (LY294002 and wortmannin). Under adherent culture conditions, the MEK inhibitors blocked growth through the induction of cell cycle arrest and up-regulation of p27, but this was readily reversible following inhibitor washout. However, when the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and MEK inhibitors were combined, the growth and invasion of the metastatic melanoma three-dimensional spheroids were blocked. Taken together, these results suggest that the most aggressive melanomas are resistant to strategies targeting one signaling pathway and that multiple signaling pathways may need to be targeted for maximal therapeutic efficacy. It is further suggested that BRAF mutational status is not predictive of response to MEK inhibition under three-dimensional culture conditions.
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PMID:Multiple signaling pathways must be targeted to overcome drug resistance in cell lines derived from melanoma metastases. 1673 45

D-type cyclins regulate G1 cell cycle progression by enhancing the activities of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and their expression is frequently altered in malignant cells. We and others have previously shown that cyclin D1 is up-regulated in melanoma cells through adhesion-independent MEK-ERK1/2 signaling initiated by mutant B-RAF. Here, we describe the regulation and role of cyclin D3 in human melanoma cells. Cyclin D3 expression was enhanced in a cell panel of human melanoma cell lines compared with melanocytes and was regulated by fibronectin-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling but not MEK activity. RNA interference experiments demonstrated that cyclin D3 contributed to G1-S cell cycle progression and proliferation in melanoma cells. Overexpression of cyclin D1 did not recover the effects of cyclin D3 knockdown. Finally, immunoprecipitation studies showed that CDK6 is a major binding partner for cyclin D3, whereas CDK4 preferentially associated with cyclin D1. Together, these findings demonstrate that cyclin D3 is an important regulator of melanoma G1-S cell cycle progression and that D-type cyclins are differentially regulated in melanoma cells.
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PMID:Cyclin D3 expression in melanoma cells is regulated by adhesion-dependent phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling and contributes to G1-S progression. 1681 49

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 plays a key role in tumor invasion. Inhibitors of MMP-9 were screened from Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn redwood) and one potent inhibitor, isoginkgetin, a biflavonoid, was identified. Noncytotoxic levels of isoginkgetin decreased MMP-9 production profoundly, but up-regulated the level of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, an inhibitor of MMP-9, in HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. The major mechanism of Ras-dependent MMP-9 production in HT1080 cells was phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. Expression of dominant-active H-Ras and p85 (a subunit of PI3K) increased MMP-9 activity, whereas dominant-negative forms of these molecules decreased the level of MMP-9. H-Ras did not increase MMP-9 in the presence of a PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, and a NF-kappaB inhibitor, SN50. Further studies showed that isoginkgetin regulated MMP-9 production via PI3K/Akt/NF-kappaB pathway, as evidenced by the findings that isoginkgetin inhibited activities of both Akt and NF-kappaB. PI3K/Akt is a well-known key pathway for cell invasion, and isoginkgetin inhibited HT1080 tumor cell invasion substantially. Isoginkgetin was also quite effective in inhibiting the activities of Akt and MMP-9 in MDA-MB-231 breast carcinomas and B16F10 melanoma. Moreover, isoginkgetin treatment resulted in marked decrease in invasion of these cells. In summary, PI3K/Akt is a major pathway for MMP-9 expression and isoginkgetin markedly decreased MMP-9 expression and invasion through inhibition of this pathway. This suggests that isoginkgetin could be a potential candidate as a therapeutic agent against tumor invasion.
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PMID:Isoginkgetin inhibits tumor cell invasion by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt-dependent matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression. 1712 13

The Src homology and collagen (Src) family of adaptor proteins comprises six Shc-like proteins encoded by three loci in mammals (Shc, Rai, and Sli). Shc-like proteins are tyrosine kinase substrates, which regulate diverse signaling pathways and cellular functions, including Ras and proliferation (p52/p46Shc), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and survival (p54Rai), and mitochondrial permeability transition and apoptosis (p66Shc). Here, we report the identification, cloning, and sequence characterization of a new member of the Shc family that we termed RaLP. RaLP encodes a 69-kDa protein characterized by the CH2-PTB-CH1-SH2 modularity, typical of the Shc protein family, and expressed, among adult tissues, only in melanomas. Analysis of RaLP expression during the melanoma progression revealed low expression in normal melanocytes and benign nevi, whereas high levels of RaLP protein were found at the transition from radial growth phase to vertical growth phase and metastatic melanomas, when tumor cells acquire migratory competence and invasive potential. Notably, silencing of RaLP expression in metastatic melanomas by RNA interference reduced tumorigenesis in vivo. Analysis of RaLP in melanoma signal transduction pathways revealed that (a) when ectopically expressed in RaLP-negative melanocytes and nonmetastatic melanoma cells, it functions as a substrate of activated insulin-like growth factor-1 and epidermal growth factor receptors and increases Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and cell migration, whereas (b) its silencing in RaLP-positive melanoma cells abrogates cell migration in vitro, without affecting MAPK signaling, suggesting that RaLP activates both Ras-dependent and Ras-independent migratory pathways in melanomas. These findings indicate that RaLP is a specific marker of metastatic melanomas, a critical determinant in the acquisition of the migratory phenotype by melanoma cells, and a potential target for novel anti-melanoma therapeutic strategies.
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PMID:RaLP, a new member of the Src homology and collagen family, regulates cell migration and tumor growth of metastatic melanomas. 1740 13

The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling pathway was examined in human normal melanocytes and three malignant melanoma cell lines. HGF-induced activation of c-Met, its receptor-tyrosine kinase, was observed in both melanocytes and melanoma cells, whereas phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), a downstream target of c-Met, was not activated in the melanocytes but enhanced in the melanoma cell lines. The electrophoretic mobility of Gab1, the scaffolding adapter protein that couples activated c-Met and PI3K, was slower in the melanocytes than that in the melanoma cells, and the mobility shifted to that of the melanoma cells after treatment with alkaline phosphatase, indicating that Gab1 is highly phosphorylated on serine and threonine in the melanocytes. Introduction of protein kinase C (PKC)-betaII into the melanoma cells, which is expressed in melanocytes but absent in melanoma cells, resulted in serine and threonine phosphorylation of Gab1 and also prevented tyrosine phosphorylation of Gab1 and its association with PI3K. Furthermore, the introduction of PKC-betaII suppressed HGF-induced activation of PI3K, and attenuated the in vitro invasion activity of the melanoma cells. These results indicate that the HGF signaling process from Gab1 to PI3K is negatively regulated by PKC-betaII, and its loss is critical for melanoma cells to gain invasive potential.
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PMID:Protein kinase C-betaII represses hepatocyte growth factor-induced invasion by preventing the association of adapter protein Gab1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in melanoma cells. 1762 96

Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer and a serious health problem worldwide because of its increasing incidence and the lack of satisfactory chemotherapy for late stages of the disease. The marine depsipeptide Aplidin (plitidepsin) is an antitumoral agent under phase II clinical development against several neoplasias, including melanoma. We report that plitidepsin has a dual effect on the human SK-MEL-28 and UACC-257 melanoma cell lines; at low concentrations (</=45 nM), it inhibits the cell cycle by inducing G(1) and G(2)/M arrest, whereas at higher concentrations it induces apoptosis as assessed by poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and the appearance of a hypodiploid peak in flow cytometry analyses. Plitidepsin activates Rac1 GTPase and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK). In addition, it induces AKT and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. By using inhibitors, we found that JNK and p38 MAPK activation depends on Rac1 but not on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), whereas AKT activation is independent of Rac1 but requires PI3K activity. Plitidepsin cytotoxicity diminishes by Rac1 inhibition or by the blockage of JNK and p38 MAPK using 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)1H-imidazole (SB203580), but not by PI3K inhibition using wortmannin or 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (LY294002). It is remarkable that plitidepsin and dacarbazine, the alkylating agent most active for treating metastatic melanoma, show a synergistic antiproliferative effect that was paralleled at the level of JNK activation. These results indicate that Rac1/JNK activation is critical for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction by plitidepsin in melanoma cells. They also support the combined use of plitidepsin and dacarbazine in in vivo studies.
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PMID:Plitidepsin has a dual effect inhibiting cell cycle and inducing apoptosis via Rac1/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation in human melanoma cells. 1808 42

Resistance of malignant melanoma cells to Fas-mediated apoptosis is among the mechanisms by which they escape immune surveillance. However, the mechanisms contributing to their resistance are not completely understood, and it is still unclear whether antiapoptotic Bcl-2-related family proteins play a role in this resistance. In this study, we report that treatment of Fas-resistant melanoma cell lines with cycloheximide, a general inhibitor of de novo protein synthesis, sensitizes them to anti-Fas monoclonal antibody (mAb)-induced apoptosis. The cycloheximide-induced sensitization to Fas-induced apoptosis is associated with a rapid down-regulation of Mcl-1 protein levels, but not that of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL. Targeting Mcl-1 in these melanoma cell lines with specific small interfering RNA was sufficient to sensitize them to both anti-Fas mAb-induced apoptosis and activation of caspase-9. Furthermore, ectopic expression of Mcl-1 in a Fas-sensitive melanoma cell line rescues the cells from Fas-mediated apoptosis. Our results further show that the expression of Mcl-1 in melanoma cells is regulated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and not by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway. Inhibition of ERK signaling with the mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase-1 inhibitor or by expressing a dominant negative form of mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase-1 also sensitizes resistant melanoma cells to anti-Fas mAb-induced apoptosis. Thus, our study identifies mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK/Mcl-1 as an important survival signaling pathway in the resistance of melanoma cells to Fas-mediated apoptosis and suggests that its targeting may contribute to the elimination of melanoma tumors by the immune system.
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PMID:Down-regulation of mcl-1 by small interfering RNA sensitizes resistant melanoma cells to fas-mediated apoptosis. 1823 61

Melanoma is a highly invasive tumor with elevated mortality rates. Progression and aggressiveness appear related to the achievement of an angiogenic phenotype. Melanoma cells express several angiogenic factors, including fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1 and FGF-2. The autocrine production and release of FGFs and the subsequent activation of FGF receptors, have a central role in melanoma tumor progression. We demonstrated that FGF-1 is secreted from a human melanoma cell line, A375, under conditions of serum deprivation. The release of FGF-1 is inhibited by the copper chelator ammonium tetrathiomolybdate, suggesting a role of copper in the secretory pathway, and is triggered by activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt intracellular signaling. Interestingly, overexpression or activation of Akt has been correlated with poor prognosis in melanoma patients. Our data indicate a novel role for Akt in supporting the progression of human melanomas and advocate the need for new treatments targeting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, to control tumor development and progression.
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PMID:The release of fibroblast growth factor-1 from melanoma cells requires copper ions and is mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt intracellular signaling pathway. 1840 Mar 76

Response to treatment with imatinib mesylate has been associated in preclinical models with the inhibition of two signaling pathways that promote cellular survival - the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway and the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. We sought to evaluate the extent of inhibition of these two pathways in metastatic melanoma specimens from patients treated with imatinib. Metastatic melanoma tumor samples were obtained before and during the second week of imatinib treatment from patients enrolled in a phase II study. A tissue microarray was constructed using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, and immunohistochemical analysis was performed using standard techniques to detect phosphorylated (p) ERK1/2 and pAKT expression. Of 21 patients who were treated with imatinib, tumor samples adequate for analysis were available both at baseline and during the second week of treatment from 10 patients for pERK1/2 expression and from nine patients for pAKT expression. No consistent pattern of change in pAKT or pERK expression after treatment with imatinib was observed. No apparent correlation between the clinical benefit of imatinib treatment and changes in pAKT and pERK1/2 expression was observed. A better understanding of the AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways is needed to optimize the clinical benefit of targeted therapy, such as imatinib.
Melanoma Res 2008 Aug
PMID:Changes in pERK1/2 and pAKT expression in melanoma lesions after imatinib treatment. 1862 7


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