Investigating the cell of origin and novel molecular targets in Merkel cell carcinoma: a historic misnomer.

ABSTRACT: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a highly aggressive disease with the poorest prognosis among skin cancers, originally posited to be derived from Merkel cells. Emerging evidence, however, suggests other potential origins for MCC, including hematological lineages. We utilized targeted and multi-omics approaches to explore gene expression patterns at protein and RNA levels of MCCs. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry were performed using fresh and 92 FFPE samples of primary and metastatic MCC, and two MCC cell lines (MS-1, HaCaT). RNA sequencing of selected FFPE samples identified differentially expressed genes based on sex and Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) status. Finally, weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and cell type enrichment analyses were e

SUBMITTER: Jeremian R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12936429 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature