The MAPK pathway as an apoptosis enhancer in melanoma.

ABSTRACT: Inhibition of RAF/MEK/ERK signaling is beneficial for many patients with BRAF(V600E)-mutated melanoma. However, primary and secondary resistances restrict long-lasting therapy success. Combination therapies are therefore urgently needed. Here, we evaluate the cellular effect of combining a MEK inhibitor with a genotoxic apoptosis inducer. Strikingly, we observed that an activated MAPK pathway promotes in several melanoma cell lines the pro-apoptotic response to genotoxic stress, and MEK inhibition reduces intrinsic apoptosis. This goes along with MEK inhibitor induced increased RAS and P-AKT levels. The protective effect of the MEK inhibitor depends on PI3K signaling, which prevents the induction of pro-apoptotic PUMA that mediates apoptosis after DNA damage. We could show that the MEK inh

SUBMITTER: Haydn JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4148120 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature