Differential expression of p52 and RelB proteins in the metastatic and non-metastatic groups of uveal melanoma with patient outcome

Genomic and Transcriptomic Underpinnings of Melanoma Genesis, Progression, and Metastasis

Melanoma is a deadly skin cancer with rapidly increasing incidence worldwide. The discovery of the genetic drivers of melanomagenesis in the last decade has led the World Health Organization to reclassify melanoma subtypes by their molecular pathways rather than traditional clinical and histopathologic features. Despite this significant advance, the genomic and transcriptomic drivers of metastatic progression are less well characterized. This review describes the known molecular pathways of cutaneous and uveal melanoma progression, highlights recently identified pathways and mediators of metastasis, and touches on the influence of the tumor microenvironment on metastatic progression and treatment resistance. While targeted therapies and immune checkpoint blockade have significantly aided in the treatment of advanced disease, acquired drug resistance remains an unfortunately common problem, and there is still a great need to identify potential prognostic markers and novel therapeutic targets to aid in such cases.

Prognostic Biomarkers in Uveal Melanoma: The Status Quo, Recent Advances and Future Directions

Simple Summary

Although rare, uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common cancer that develops inside adult eyes. The prognosis is poor, since 50% of patients will develop lethal metastases in the first decade, especially to the liver. Once metastases are detected, life expectancy is limited, given that the available treatments are mostly unsuccessful. Thus, there is a need to find methods that can accurately predict UM prognosis and also effective therapeutic strategies to treat this cancer. In this manuscript, we initially compile the current knowledge on epidemiological, clinical, pathological and molecular features of UM. Then, we cover the most relevant prognostic factors currently used for the evaluation and follow-up of UM patients. Afterwards, we highlight emerging molecular markers in UM published over the last three years. Finally, we discuss the problems preventing meaningful advances in the treatment and prognostication of UM patients, as well as forecast new roadblocks and paths of UM-related research.

Abstract

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common malignant intraocular tumour in the adult population. It is a rare cancer with an incidence of nearly five cases per million inhabitants per year, which develops from the uncontrolled proliferation of melanocytes in the choroid (≈90%), ciliary body (≈6%) or iris (≈4%). Patients initially present either with symptoms like blurred vision or photopsia, or without symptoms, with the tumour being detected in routine eye exams. Over the course of the disease, metastases, which are initially dormant, develop in nearly 50% of patients, preferentially in the liver. Despite decades of intensive research, the only approach proven to mildly control disease spread are early treatments directed to ablate liver metastases, such as surgical excision or chemoembolization. However, most patients have a limited life expectancy once metastases are detected, since there are limited therapeutic approaches for the metastatic disease, including immunotherapy, which unlike in cutaneous melanoma, has been mostly ineffective for UM patients. Therefore, in order to offer the best care possible to these patients, there is an urgent need to find robust models that can accurately predict the prognosis of UM, as well as therapeutic strategies that effectively block and/or limit the spread of the metastatic disease. Here, we initially summarized the current knowledge about UM by compiling the most relevant epidemiological, clinical, pathological and molecular data. Then, we revisited the most important prognostic factors currently used for the evaluation and follow-up of primary UM cases. Afterwards, we addressed emerging prognostic biomarkers in UM, by comprehensively reviewing gene signatures, immunohistochemistry-based markers and proteomic markers resulting from research studies conducted over the past three years. Finally, we discussed the current hurdles in the field and anticipated the future challenges and novel avenues of research in UM.

Hyperglycemia-induced increasing of RELB/circ_0008590 in NF-κB pathway is repressed by miR-1243 in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells

Background

To investigate the abnormal expression of circ_0008590 and its parent gene, reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene related B (RELB) in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (hRECs) in hyperglycemia and the potential mechanism.

Methods

The levels of RELB, circ_0008590, and miR-1243 in hRECs or clinical samples were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to test the interaction between RELB/circ_0008590 and miR-1243. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), Transwell, flow cytometry (FCM), wound healing, and tube formation assays were used for the physiological investigation. The interaction between human RELB and circ_0008590 was studied in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic retinopathy (DR) C57BL/6 mice.

Results

The levels of circ_0008590 and RELB were increased in hRECs in hyperglycemia; during the progression of DR, the levels of circ_0008590 and RELB messenger RNA (mRNA) in aqueous humor were first decreased and then increased, whereas miR-1243 showed an opposite trend. Both RELB 3'-untranslated region (UTR) and circ_0008590 shared a similar binding site for miR-1243. Further, miR-1243 mimic suppressed the proliferation and migration of hRECs, promoting the apoptosis ratio, which could be rescued by the overexpression of circ_0008590. In STZ-induced DR mice, miR-1243 agomir rescued the effects of the overexpression of human RELB.

Conclusions

In hyperglycemia, high expression of RELB/circ_0008590 could be suppressed by miR-1243, and the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway is subsequently affected.

Novel Prognostic Immunohistochemical Markers in Uveal Melanoma-Literature Review

Simple Summary

The following study provides an overview of the English-language literature on the search for new prognostic factors for uveal melanoma. Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults, and although it is a relatively rare disease, it poses a significant health problem. About half of the patients develop distant metastases, and unfortunately there are currently no effective treatments for the disease at such an advanced stage. The search for new prognostic factors is important to understand the biology of the disease and to be able to monitor patients more effectively. At the same time, it creates an opportunity to find new therapeutic targets. We focused our attention on immunohistochemical research because it is a widely used method, relatively cheap, technically simple, and gives reproducible results. The analysis of this study will enable other researchers to verify their research plans and may also be a source of inspiration for creating new ones.

Abstract

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular neoplasm in adults. As there are currently no effective methods of treating the disease in the metastatic stage, there is a need to search for new prognostic factors that would enable a reliable assessment of the patient’s condition and constitute a possible therapeutic target. In this review, we have prepared the results of English-language studies on new prognostic factors determined with immunohistochemical methods. We found 64 articles in which the expression of various proteins was associated in a statistically significant manner with the histopathological and clinical prognostic factors identified by AJCC. The results of our work clearly show that the biology of uveal melanoma is extraordinarily complex. Numerous studies have shed new light on the complexity of the processes involved in the development of this cancer. Moreover, a careful analysis of the expression of individual proteins may allow the identification of homogeneous groups of patients requiring different treatment regimens.