Mining gene expression signature for the detection of pre-malignant melanocytes and early melanomas with risk for metastasis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Metastatic melanoma is a highly aggressive skin cancer and currently resistant to systemic therapy. Melanomas may involve genetic, epigenetic and metabolic abnormalities. Evidence is emerging that epigenetic changes might play a significant role in tumor cell plasticity and metastatic phenotype of melanoma cells.

Principal findings

In this study, we developed a systematic approach to identify genes implicated in melanoma progression. To do this, we used the Affymetrix GeneChip Arrays to screen 34,000 mouse transcripts in melan-a melanocytes, 4C pre-malignant melanocytes, 4C11- non-metastatic and 4C11+ metastatic melanoma cell lines. The genome-wide association studies revealed pathways commonly over-represented in the transition from immortalized to pre-malignant

SUBMITTER: de Souza CF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3439384 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature