Association of MITF and other melanosome-related proteins with chemoresistance in melanoma tumors and cell lines

Melanoma Res. 2013 Oct;23(5):360-5. doi: 10.1097/CMR.0b013e328362f9cd.

Abstract

Previous studies in cell lines have suggested a role for melanosomes and related protein trafficking pathways in melanoma drug response. We have investigated the expression of six proteins related to melanosomes and melanogenesis (MITF, GPR143, gp100/PMEL, MLANA, TYRP1, and RAB27A) in pretreatment metastases from melanoma patients (n = 52) with different response to dacarbazine/temozolomide. Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and G-protein coupled receptor 143 (GPR143) showed significantly higher expression in nonresponders compared with responders. The premelanosome protein (gp100/PMEL) has been indicated previously in resistance to cisplatin in melanoma cells, but the expression levels of gp100/PMEL showed no association with response to dacarbazine/temozolomide in our clinical material. We also investigated the effects on chemosensitivity of siRNA inhibition of gp100/PMEL in the MNT-1 melanoma cell line. As expected from the study of the tumor material, no effect was detected with respect to response to temozolomide. However, knockdown of gp100/PMEL sensitized the cells to both paclitaxel and cisplatin. Overall, our results suggest that MITF, and several MITF-regulated factors, are associated with resistance to chemotherapy in melanoma and that different MITF targets can be of importance for different drugs.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm* / genetics
  • Eye Proteins / genetics
  • Eye Proteins / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Male
  • Melanoma / drug therapy
  • Melanoma / genetics
  • Melanoma / metabolism*
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Melanosomes / genetics
  • Melanosomes / metabolism*
  • Melanosomes / pathology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor / genetics
  • Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA Interference
  • Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Skin Neoplasms / genetics
  • Skin Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transfection
  • Treatment Outcome
  • gp100 Melanoma Antigen / genetics
  • gp100 Melanoma Antigen / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Eye Proteins
  • GPR143 protein, human
  • MITF protein, human
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor
  • PMEL protein, human
  • gp100 Melanoma Antigen