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)

Steady-state protein levels are determined by the balance between protein synthesis and degradation. Protein half-lives are determined primarily by degradation, and the major degradation pathways involve either lysosomal destruction or an ATP-dependent process involving ubiquitination to target proteins to the proteosome. Studies have shown that multiple tumor-suppressor proteins are ubiquitinated and degraded by the 26S proteasome. In the present study, we investigated whether the tumor suppressor/cytokine melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7/interleukin-24 gene (MDA-7/IL-24) protein is ubiquitinated and its degradation controlled by the proteasome. Treatment of ovarian (2008) and lung (H1299) tumor cells with adenoviral delivery of mda-7 (Ad-mda7) or Ad-mda7 plus the proteosome inhibitor MG132 showed that MDA-7 protein expression was dependent upon proteosome activity. Western blot and immunoprecipitation analyses verified that the MDA-7 protein was ubiquitinated and that ubiquitinated-MDA-7 levels were increased in MG132-treated cells. These results were confirmed using small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of ubiquitin. Furthermore, ubiquitinated MDA-7 protein was degraded by the 26S proteasome, as MDA-7 accumulation was observed only when cells were treated with MG132 but not with lysosome or protease inhibitors. Inhibition of the catalytic beta-5 subunit of the 20S proteasome using siRNA resulted in MDA-7 protein accumulation. Finally, treatment of tumor cells with Ad-mda7 plus the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib resulted in increased tumor cell killing. Our results show that MDA-7/IL-24 is ubiquitinated and degraded by the 26S proteasome. Furthermore, inhibition of MDA-7 degradation results in enhanced tumor killing, identifying a novel anticancer strategy.
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PMID:MDA-7/IL-24, a novel tumor suppressor/cytokine is ubiquitinated and regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and inhibition of MDA-7/IL-24 degradation enhances the antitumor activity. 1782 82

The process of dendritic cell (DC) maturation, critical for effective DC-based immunotherapy, also alters the proteasome such that peptides presented in the context of HLA class I are generated not by the constitutive proteasome, but by the immunoproteasome. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) induced by such DCs might not optimally recognize tumor cells normally expressing the constitutive proteasome. Using small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection of DCs to inhibit expression of the 3 inducible immunoproteasome subunits in mature DCs, we found that such DCs expressed increased intracellular levels of constitutive proteasomes and presented an altered repertoire of tumor-antigenic peptides. When DCs generated from the monocytes of 3 patients with melanoma were transfected with immunoproteasome siRNA, induced to mature, and then trans-fected with RNA encoding defined melanoma antigens, these DCs were superior inducers of antigen-specific CTLs against autologous melanoma cells. This alteration of DC proteasome composition, which enhances the ability of mature antigen-loaded DCs to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, may lead to more effective DC-based tumor immunotherapy.
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PMID:Immunoproteasome down-modulation enhances the ability of dendritic cells to stimulate antitumor immunity. 1785 30

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays an indispensable role in inducing MHC class I-restricted CD8(+) T cells. In this study, we exploited UPS to induce CD8(+) T cells specific for mycobacterial HSP65 (mHSP65), one of the leading vaccine candidates against infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A chimeric DNA termed pU-HSP65 encoding a fusion protein between murine ubiquitin and mHSP65 was constructed, and C57BL/6 (B6) mice were immunized with the DNA using gene gun bombardment. Mice immunized with the chimeric DNA acquired potent resistance against challenge with the syngeneic B16F1 melanoma cells transfected with the mHSP65 gene (HSP65/B16F1), compared with those immunized with DNA encoding only mHSP65. Splenocytes from the former group of mice showed a higher grade of cytotoxic activity against HSP65/B16F1 cells and contained a larger number of granzyme B- or IFN-gamma-producing CD8(+) T cells compared with those from the latter group of mice.
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PMID:Ubiquitin-fusion degradation pathway: a new strategy for inducing CD8 cells specific for mycobacterial HSP65. 1799 19

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intra-ocular malignancy in adults. Overall mortality rate remains high because of the development of metastatic disease, which is highly resistant to systemic therapy. Improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of cancers has led to a new generation of therapeutic agents that interfere with a specific pathway critical in tumor development or progression. Although no specific genes have been linked to the pathogenesis of uveal melanoma, which differs from that of cutaneous melanoma, progress has been made in identifying potential targets involved in uveal melanoma apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. This review focuses on the prospects for improving the systemic therapy of uveal melanoma using molecularly targeted agents that are currently in clinical use as well as agents being tested in clinical trials. Preclinical studies suggest potential benefit of inhibitors of Bcl-2, ubiquitin-proteasome, histone deactylase, mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-AKT pathways, and receptor tyrosine kinases. Modifiers of adhesion molecules, matrix metalloproteinase, and angiogenic factors also have demonstrated potential benefit. Clinical trials of some of these approaches have been initiated in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma as well as in the adjuvant setting after primary therapy.
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PMID:Targeted therapy for uveal melanoma. 1822 59

Strategies using epitope-based vaccination are being considered for melanoma immunotherapy, in an attempt to overcome failure of other modalities. In the present study, we designed and produced a multiepitope polypeptide for melanoma (MEP-mel), which contains three repeats of four antigenic epitopes (gp100: 209-217 (210M); gp100: 280-288 (288V); Mart1: 26-35 (27L); tyrosinase: 368-376 (370D). The peptides were attached to each other by linkers containing sequences recognized by the proteasome, to improve protein cleavage and antigen presentation. The results show that peptide-specific T cells produced IFN-gamma when stimulated with MEP-mel-transfected dendritic cells. The presentation of peptides by MEP-mel-transfected dendritic cells was proteasome-dependent and was more long-lasting than the presentation of exogenously delivered native peptides. When dendritic cells were loaded with MEP-mel protein, weak cross presentation was induced. The production of multiepitope molecules based on several peptides linked by sequences sensitive to proteasomal cleavage represents a promising new tool for the improvement of cancer immunotherapy.
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PMID:A melanoma multiepitope polypeptide induces specific CD8+ T-cell response. 1827 44

When a replicative DNA polymerase encounters a lesion on the template strand and stalls, it is replaced with another polymerase(s) with low processivity that bypasses the lesion to continue DNA synthesis. This phenomenon is known as translesion replication or replicative bypass. Failing this, the cell is increasingly likely to undergo apoptosis. In this study, we found that proteasome inhibitors prevent translesion replication in human cancer cells but not in normal cells. Three proteasome inhibitors, MG-132, lactacystin, and MG-262, inhibited UV-induced translesion replication in a wide range of cancer cell lines, including HeLa, HGC-27, MCF-7, HepG2, WiDr, a malignant melanoma, an acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and a multiple myeloma cell line; irrespective of cell origin, histological type, or p53 status. In contrast, these inhibitors had little or no influence on normal fibroblasts (NB1RGB and TIG-1) or a normal liver mesenchymal (LI90) cell line. Among the DNA-damaging antineoplastic agents, cisplatin caused a UV-type translesion reaction; the proteasome inhibitors delayed cisplatin-induced translesion replication in cancer cell lines but had only a weak effect on normal cell lines. Therefore, translesion replication would be an effective target of proteasome inhibitors for cancer chemotherapy by which cancer cells can be efficiently sensitized to DNA-damaging antineoplastic agents, such as cisplatin.
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PMID:Proteasome inhibitors remarkably prevent translesion replication in cancer cells but not normal cells. 1829 77

Most tumors grow in immunocompetent hosts despite expressing NKG2D ligands (NKG2DLs) such as the MHC class I chain-related genes A and B (MICA/B). However, their participation in tumor cell evasion is still not completely understood. Here we demonstrate that several human melanomas (cell lines and freshly isolated metastases) do not express MICA on the cell surface but have intracellular deposits of this NKG2DL. Susceptibility to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity correlated with the ratio of NKG2DLs to HLA class I molecules but not with the amounts of MICA on the cell surface of tumor cells. Transfection-mediated overexpression of MICA restored cell surface expression and resulted in an increased in vitro cytotoxicity and IFN-gamma secretion by human NK cells. In xenografted nude mice, these melanomas exhibited a delayed growth and extensive in vivo apoptosis. Retardation of tumor growth was due to NK cell-mediated antitumor activity against MICA-transfected tumors, given that this effect was not observed in NK cell-depleted mice. Also, mouse NK cells killed MICA-overexpressing melanomas in vitro. A mechanistic analysis revealed the retention of MICA in the endoplasmic reticulum, an effect that was associated with accumulation of endoH-sensitive (immature) forms of MICA, retrograde transport to the cytoplasm, and degradation by the proteasome. Our study identifies a novel strategy developed by melanoma cells to evade NK cell-mediated immune surveillance based on the intracellular sequestration of immature forms of MICA in the endoplasmic reticulum. Furthermore, this tumor immune escape strategy can be overcome by gene therapy approaches aimed at overexpressing MICA on tumor cells.
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PMID:Intracellular retention of the NKG2D ligand MHC class I chain-related gene A in human melanomas confers immune privilege and prevents NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. 1835 83

Somatic activating mutations of BRAF are the earliest and most common genetic abnormality detected in the genesis of human melanoma. However, the mechanism(s) by which activated BRAF promotes melanoma cell cycle progression and/or survival remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that expression of BIM, a pro-apoptotic member of the BCL-2 family, is inhibited by BRAF-->MEK-->ERK signaling in mouse and human melanocytes and in human melanoma cells. Trophic factor deprivation of melanocytes leads to elevated BIM expression. However, re-addition of trophic factors or activation of a conditional form of BRAF(V600E) leads to rapid inhibition of BIM expression. In both cases, inhibition of BIM expression was dependent on the activity of MEK1/2 and the proteasome. Consistent with these observations, pharmacological inhibition of BRAF(V600E) or MEK1/2 in human melanoma cells (using PLX4720 and CI-1040 respectively) led to a striking elevation of BIM expression. Re-activation of BRAF-->MEK-->ERK signaling led to phosphorylation of BIM-EL on serine 69 and its subsequent degradation. Interestingly, endogenous expression of BIM in melanoma cells was insufficient to induce apoptosis unless combined with serum deprivation. Under these circumstances, inhibition of BIM expression by RNA interference provided partial protection from apoptosis. These data suggest that regulation of BIM expression by BRAF-->MEK-->ERK signaling is one mechanism by which oncogenic BRAF(V600E) can influence the aberrant physiology of melanoma cells.
Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2008 Oct
PMID:Oncogenic BRAF(V600E) inhibits BIM expression to promote melanoma cell survival. 1871 33

Targeted proteasomal degradation mediated by E3 ubiquitin ligases controls cell cycle progression, and alterations in their activities likely contribute to malignant cell proliferation. S phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) is the F-box component of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that targets p27(Kip1) and cyclin E1 to the proteasome. In human melanoma, Skp2 is highly expressed, regulated by mutant B-RAF, and required for cell growth. We show that Skp2 depletion in melanoma cells resulted in a tetraploid cell cycle arrest. Surprisingly, co-knockdown of p27(Kip1) or cyclin E1 failed to prevent the tetraploid arrest induced by Skp2 knockdown. Enhanced Aurora A phosphorylation and repression of G2/M regulators cyclin B1, cyclin-dependent kinase 1, and cyclin A indicated a G2/early M phase arrest in Skp2-depleted cells. Furthermore, expression of nuclear localized cyclin B1 prevented tetraploid accumulation after Skp2 knockdown. The p53 status is most frequently wild type in melanoma, and the tetraploid arrest and down-regulation of G2/M regulatory genes were strongly dependent on wild-type p53 expression. In mutant p53 melanoma lines, Skp2 depletion did not induce cell cycle arrest despite up-regulation of p27(Kip1). These data indicate that elevated Skp2 expression may overcome p53-dependent cell cycle checkpoints in melanoma cells and highlight Skp2 actions that are independent of p27(Kip1) degradation.
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PMID:Skp2 regulates G2/M progression in a p53-dependent manner. 1871 61

Velcade (also known as PS-341 or Bortezomib) is a highly selective and reversible inhibitor of the 26S proteasome and is approved for the treatment of patients with advanced multiple myeloma. Here we investigated the anti-proliferative effect of Velcade on 4T1 breast cancer and B16F10 melanoma cells and evaluated the mechanism of action. It was found that two cell lines are differentially sensitive to proteasome inhibitor Velcade. The IC50 concentrations for B16F10 and 4T1 were 2.5 nM and 71 nM, respectively, indicating that B16F10 cells are more sensitive to proteasomal inhibition. Velcade was equally potent in inhibiting the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome in both cell lines. It was determined that B16F10 cells proliferate more rapidly than 4T1 cells; doubling time (Td) =14.2 h versus Td =22.9 h, suggesting that a rapid proliferation rate may be an important factor in cellular resistance towards proteasomal inhibition. We observed for the first time that p53 and p21 proteins were increased in B16F10 cells but not in 4T1 following Velcade-treatment, demonstrating that p53 and p21 may enhance Velcade sensitivity. Furthermore, it was observed that caspase-3 proenzyme was reduced by approximately 20% in B16F10 melanoma cells, but not in 4T1 cells in response to 26S proteasomal inhibition by Velcade. Altogether, we concluded that p53 protein plays a central role in higher sensitivity of B16F10 cells to Velcade by inducing the accumulation of p21, a cell cycle inhibitor, as well as by stimulating the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis through caspase-3 activation.
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PMID:Differential sensitivity of breast cancer and melanoma cells to proteasome inhibitor Velcade. 1902 Jul 81


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