Influence of melanosome dynamics on melanoma drug sensitivity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Malignant melanomas are intrinsically resistant to many conventional treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy, for reasons that are poorly understood. Here we propose and test a model that explains drug resistance or sensitivity in terms of melanosome dynamics.

Methods

The growth and sensitivity to cisplatin of MNT-1 cells, which are melanotic and enriched with mature stage III and IV melanosomes, and SK-MEL-28 cells, which have only immature stage I and II melanosomes, were compared using clonogenic assays. Differences in pigmentation, melanosome stages, melanosome number, and cellular structures in different cell lines in response to various treatments were examined by electron microscopy. The relative numbers of melanosomes of different stages were compar

SUBMITTER: Chen KG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2744727 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature