Fibroblasts protect melanoma cells from the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin.

ABSTRACT: Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and until recently, it was extremely resistant to radio-, immuno-, and chemotherapy. Despite the latest success of BRAF V600E-targeted therapies, responses are typically short lived and relapse is all but certain. Furthermore, a percentage (40%) of melanoma cells is BRAF wild type. Emerging evidence suggests a role for normal host cells in the occurrence of drug resistance. In the current study, we compared a variety of cell culture models with an organotypic incomplete skin culture model (the "dermal equivalent") to investigate the role of the tissue microenvironment in the response of melanoma cells to the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (Dox). In the dermal equivalent model, consisting of fibroblasts embedded in type I collagen matr

SUBMITTER: Tiago M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4161062 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature