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Fischer GM, Mahadevan NR, Hornick JL, Fletcher CD, Russell-Goldman E. A Comparative Genomic Study of Conventional and Undifferentiated Melanoma. Mod Pathol 2024:100626. [PMID: 39332711 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2024.100626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024]
Abstract
Undifferentiated melanoma, defined as melanoma which has lost all usual phenotypic and immunohistochemical characteristics of conventional melanoma, can pose significant diagnostic challenges. Molecular studies have advanced our understanding of undifferentiated melanoma by demonstrating that a subset of these tumors harbor known melanoma driver alterations in genes such as BRAF, NRAS, and NF1. However, there is a paucity of data describing genetic alterations which may distinguish undifferentiated melanoma from conventional melanoma. In this study, we directly compared the genomic profiles of undifferentiated melanoma to a cohort of conventional melanomas, including 14 undifferentiated melanoma cases (comprised of two primary cases, two cutaneous recurrences and 10 metastases) and a cohort of 127 conventional melanomas including primary, recurrent, and metastatic cases. Targeted sequencing of 447 cancer-associated genes was performed, including identification of mutations and copy number alterations (CNAs). NRAS was the most frequent melanoma driver in undifferentiated melanoma (8/14 cases, 57%), although notably only one undifferentiated melanoma harbored an NRAS Q61R mutation. Compared to the conventional melanoma cohort, undifferentiated melanoma demonstrated statistically significant enrichment of pathogenic activating RAC1 mutations (6/14 total cases, 43%), including P29S (4/6 cases), P29L (1/6 cases) and D11E (1/6 cases). In addition to providing insight into the molecular pathogenesis of undifferentiated melanoma, these findings also suggest that RAS Q61R immunohistochemistry may have limited utility for its diagnosis. The presence of recurrent RAC1 mutations in undifferentiated melanoma is also notable as these alterations may contribute to mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway targeted therapy resistance. Furthermore, the RAC1 alterations identified in this cohort have been shown to drive a melanocytic to mesenchymal switch in melanocytes, offering a possible explanation for the undifferentiated phenotype of these melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant M Fischer
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Navin R Mahadevan
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jason L Hornick
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Christopher Dm Fletcher
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Eleanor Russell-Goldman
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts..
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2
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Stark MS, Sturm RA, Pan Y, Smit DJ, Kommajosyula V, Lee KJ, Jagirdar K, McLean C, Duffy DL, Soyer HP, Mar VJ. Assessing the genetic risk of nodular melanoma using a candidate gene approach. Br J Dermatol 2024; 190:199-206. [PMID: 37766469 DOI: 10.1093/bjd/ljad365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nodular melanoma (NM) is a challenge to diagnose early due to its rapid growth and more atypical clinical presentation, making it the largest contributor to melanoma mortality. OBJECTIVES Our study aim was to perform a rare-variant allele (RVA) analysis of whole-exome sequencing of patients with NM and non-NM (minor allele frequency ≤ 1% non-Finnish European) for a set of 500 candidate genes potentially implicated in melanoma. METHODS This study recruited 131 participants with NM and 194 with non-NM from South-east Queensland and patients with NM from Victoria to perform a comparative analysis of possible genetic differences or similarities between the two melanoma cohorts. RESULTS Phenotypic analysis revealed that a majority of patients diagnosed with NM were older males with a higher frequency of fair skin and red hair than is seen in the general population. The distribution of common melanoma polygenic risk scores was similar in patients with NM and non-NM, with over 28% in the highest quantile of scores. There was also a similar frequency of carriage of familial/high-penetrant melanoma gene and loss-of-function variants. We identified 39 genes by filtering 500 candidate genes based on the greatest frequency in NM compared with non-NM cases. The genes with RVAs of greatest frequency in NM included PTCH1, ARID2 and GHR. Rare variants in the SMO gene, which interacts with PTCH1 as ligand and receptor, were also identified, providing evidence that the Hedgehog pathway may contribute to NM risk. There was a cumulative effect in carrying multiple rare variants in the NM-associated genes. A 14.8-fold increased ratio for NM compared with non-NM was seen when two RVAs of the 39 genes were carried by a patient. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the importance of considering frequency of RVA to identify those at risk of NM in addition to known high penetrance genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell S Stark
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Richard A Sturm
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Yan Pan
- Victorian Melanoma Service, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
| | - Darren J Smit
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Varsha Kommajosyula
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Katie J Lee
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Kasturee Jagirdar
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Catriona McLean
- Victorian Melanoma Service, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
| | - David L Duffy
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - H Peter Soyer
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- Dermatology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Victoria J Mar
- Victorian Melanoma Service, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine; Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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3
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Abstract
Immunity could be viewed as the common factor in neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer. The immune and nervous systems coevolve as the embryo develops. Immunity can release cytokines that activate MAPK signaling in neural cells. In specific embryonic brain cell types, dysregulated signaling that results from germline or embryonic mutations can promote changes in chromatin organization and gene accessibility, and thus expression levels of essential genes in neurodevelopment. In cancer, dysregulated signaling can emerge from sporadic somatic mutations during human life. Neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer share similarities. In neurodevelopmental disorders, immunity, and cancer, there appears an almost invariable involvement of small GTPases (e.g., Ras, RhoA, and Rac) and their pathways. TLRs, IL-1, GIT1, and FGFR signaling pathways, all can be dysregulated in neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer. Although there are signaling similarities, decisive differentiating factors are timing windows, and cell type specific perturbation levels, pointing to chromatin reorganization. Finally, we discuss drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Corresponding author
| | - Chung-Jung Tsai
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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4
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Aspenström P. The Role of Fast-Cycling Atypical RHO GTPases in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081961. [PMID: 35454871 PMCID: PMC9029563 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary For many years, cancer-associated mutations in RHO GTPases were not identified and observations suggesting roles for RHO GTPases in cancer were sparse. Instead, RHO GTPases were considered primarily to regulate cell morphology and cell migration, processes that rely on the dynamic behavior of the cytoskeleton. This notion is in contrast to the RAS proteins, which are famous oncogenes and found to be mutated at high incidence in human cancers. Recent advancements in the tools for large-scale genome analysis have resulted in a paradigm shift and RHO GTPases are today found altered in many cancer types. This review article deals with the recent views on the roles of RHO GTPases in cancer, with a focus on the so-called fast-cycling RHO GTPases. Abstract The RHO GTPases comprise a subfamily within the RAS superfamily of small GTP-hydrolyzing enzymes and have primarily been ascribed roles in regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics in eukaryotic cells. An oncogenic role for the RHO GTPases has been disregarded, as no activating point mutations were found for genes encoding RHO GTPases. Instead, dysregulated expression of RHO GTPases and their regulators have been identified in cancer, often in the context of increased tumor cell migration and invasion. In the new landscape of cancer genomics, activating point mutations in members of the RHO GTPases have been identified, in particular in RAC1, RHOA, and CDC42, which has suggested that RHO GTPases can indeed serve as oncogenes in certain cancer types. This review describes the current knowledge of these cancer-associated mutant RHO GTPases, with a focus on how their altered kinetics can contribute to cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pontus Aspenström
- Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology (IGP), Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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5
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Davies J, Muralidhar S, Randerson-Moor J, Harland M, O'Shea S, Diaz J, Walker C, Nsengimana J, Laye J, Mell T, Chan M, Appleton L, Birkeälv S, Adams DJ, Cook GP, Ball G, Bishop DT, Newton-Bishop JA. Ulcerated melanoma: Systems biology evidence of inflammatory imbalance towards pro-tumourigenicity. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2022; 35:252-267. [PMID: 34826184 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Microscopic ulceration is an independent predictor of melanoma death. Here, we used systems biology to query the role of host and tumour-specific processes in defining the phenotype. Albumin level as a measure of systemic inflammation was predictive of fewer tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes and poorer survival in the Leeds Melanoma Cohort. Ulcerated melanomas were thicker and more mitotically active (with corresponding transcriptomic upregulated cell cycle pathways). Sequencing identified tumoural p53 and APC mutations, and TUBB2B amplification as associated with the phenotype. Ulcerated tumours had perturbed expression of cytokine genes, consistent with protumourigenic inflammation and histological and transcriptomic evidence for reduced adaptive immune cell infiltration. Pathway/network analysis of multiomic data using neural networks highlighted a role for the β-catenin pathway in the ulceration, linking genomic changes in the tumour to immunosuppression and cell proliferation. In summary, the data suggest that ulceration is in part associated with genomic changes but that host factors also predict melanoma death with evidence of reduced immune responses to the tumour.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Davies
- Leeds Institute of Data Analytics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Sathya Muralidhar
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | - Mark Harland
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Sally O'Shea
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Dermatology Department, South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital Cork and University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Joey Diaz
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Christy Walker
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Jérémie Nsengimana
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Population Health Sciences Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Jon Laye
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Tracey Mell
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - May Chan
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Lizzie Appleton
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Sofia Birkeälv
- Experimental Cancer Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - David J Adams
- Experimental Cancer Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Graham P Cook
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Graham Ball
- School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - David T Bishop
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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6
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Cherepakhin OS, Argenyi ZB, Moshiri AS. Genomic and Transcriptomic Underpinnings of Melanoma Genesis, Progression, and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:123. [PMID: 35008286 PMCID: PMC8750021 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zsolt B. Argenyi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Ata S. Moshiri
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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7
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Colón-Bolea P, García-Gómez R, Casar B. RAC1 Activation as a Potential Therapeutic Option in Metastatic Cutaneous Melanoma. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1554. [PMID: 34827551 PMCID: PMC8615836 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is a complex process by which cancer cells escape from the primary tumor to colonize distant organs. RAC1 is a member of the RHO family of small guanosine triphosphatases that plays an important role in cancer migration, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. RAC1 activation has been related to most cancers, such as cutaneous melanoma, breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer. RAC1P29S driver mutation appears in a significant number of cutaneous melanoma cases. Likewise, RAC1 is overexpressed or hyperactivated via signaling through oncogenic cell surface receptors. Thus, targeting RAC1 represents a promising strategy for cutaneous melanoma therapy, as well as for inhibition of other signaling activation that promotes resistance to targeted therapies. In this review, we focus on the role of RAC1 in metastatic cutaneous melanoma emphasizing the anti-metastatic potential of RAC1- targeting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Colón-Bolea
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas—Universidad de Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain; (P.C.-B.); (R.G.-G.)
| | - Rocío García-Gómez
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas—Universidad de Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain; (P.C.-B.); (R.G.-G.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Berta Casar
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas—Universidad de Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain; (P.C.-B.); (R.G.-G.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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8
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Crosas-Molist E, Samain R, Kohlhammer L, Orgaz J, George S, Maiques O, Barcelo J, Sanz-Moreno V. RhoGTPase Signalling in Cancer Progression and Dissemination. Physiol Rev 2021; 102:455-510. [PMID: 34541899 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00045.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rho GTPases are a family of small G proteins that regulate a wide array of cellular processes related to their key roles controlling the cytoskeleton. On the other hand, cancer is a multi-step disease caused by the accumulation of genetic mutations and epigenetic alterations, from the initial stages of cancer development when cells in normal tissues undergo transformation, to the acquisition of invasive and metastatic traits, responsible for a large number of cancer related deaths. In this review, we discuss the role of Rho GTPase signalling in cancer in every step of disease progression. Rho GTPases contribute to tumour initiation and progression, by regulating proliferation and apoptosis, but also metabolism, senescence and cell stemness. Rho GTPases play a major role in cell migration, and in the metastatic process. They are also involved in interactions with the tumour microenvironment and regulate inflammation, contributing to cancer progression. After years of intensive research, we highlight the importance of relevant models in the Rho GTPase field, and we reflect on the therapeutic opportunities arising for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Crosas-Molist
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Remi Samain
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Leonie Kohlhammer
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jose Orgaz
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas 'Alberto Sols', CSIC-UAM, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Samantha George
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oscar Maiques
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jaume Barcelo
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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9
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Guhan S, Klebanov N, Tsao H. Melanoma genomics: a state-of-the-art review of practical clinical applications. Br J Dermatol 2021; 185:272-281. [PMID: 34096042 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.20421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Our collective understanding of melanoma genomics has rapidly expanded in the past decade, bringing great promise to patients affected with the most severe and aggressive cases of melanoma. In this review, we present the practical clinical impact of genetics and genomics on modern melanoma diagnosis and treatment. Characterization of somatic driver mutations, which can be used to distinguish different subtypes of melanoma such as nonacral cutaneous melanoma (NACM), desmoplastic melanoma (DM), acral melanoma (AM), mucosal melanoma (MM) and uveal melanoma (UM), has led to the development of many targeted therapies against these tumours. Although targeted therapies exist for certain mutations, such as BRAF and KIT, other genotypes respond to newer-generation immune therapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. Epigenetics also plays a critical role in melanoma pathogenesis and drug resistance, holding promise for new treatment avenues. In this review, special attention is placed on clinical trials and translational research, especially novel genomic tests aimed to benefit patients on an individualized level in the current emerging era of personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Guhan
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - N Klebanov
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - H Tsao
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, 02114, USA
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10
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Han J, Xu X, Liu Z, Li Z, Wu Y, Zuo D. Recent advances of molecular mechanisms of regulating PD-L1 expression in melanoma. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 88:106971. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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11
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Brito C, Barral DC, Pojo M. Subversion of Ras Small GTPases in Cutaneous Melanoma Aggressiveness. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:575223. [PMID: 33072757 PMCID: PMC7538714 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.575223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The rising incidence and mortality rate associated with the metastatic ability of cutaneous melanoma represent a major public health concern. Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most invasive human cancers, but the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Moreover, currently available therapies are not efficient in avoiding melanoma lethality. In this context, new biomarkers of prognosis, metastasis, and response to therapy are necessary to better predict the disease outcome. Additionally, the knowledge about the molecular alterations and dysregulated pathways involved in melanoma metastasis may provide new therapeutic targets. Members of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases regulate various essential cellular activities, from signaling to membrane traffic and cytoskeleton dynamics. Therefore, it is not surprising that they are differentially expressed, and their functions subverted in several types of cancer, including melanoma. Indeed, Ras small GTPases were found to regulate melanoma progression and invasion. Hence, a better understanding of the mechanisms regulated by Ras small GTPases that are involved in melanoma tumorigenesis and progression may provide new therapeutic strategies to block these processes. Here, we review the current knowledge on the role of Ras small GTPases in melanoma aggressiveness and the molecular mechanisms involved. Furthermore, we summarize the known involvement of these proteins in melanoma metastasis and how these players influence the response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheila Brito
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM) do Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil E.P.E., Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Duarte C Barral
- CEDOC, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Pojo
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM) do Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil E.P.E., Lisbon, Portugal
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12
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NF1-RAC1 axis regulates migration of the melanocytic lineage. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100858. [PMID: 32891903 PMCID: PMC7484592 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastases's spreading is the main cause of mortality for advanced stage cancer patients, including melanoma. The formation of metastases is favored by enhanced migratory and invasive capacities of tumor cells. Tumor suppressor gene NF1 is a negative regulator of RAS and its deregulation plays an important role in several aspects of melanoma transformation and progression. However, very little is described about the role of NF1 in cellular migration and invasion. In this study, our results show on the one hand, that the loss of NF1 expression delays migration of human melanoblasts via a RAC1-dependent mechanism. On the other hand, our data indicate that NF1 loss in melanoma cells is enhancing migration, intravasation and metastases formation in vivo. Moreover, not only this phenotype is associated with an upregulation of PREX1 but also patient-derived melanoma samples with low NF1 expression present increased levels of PREX1. In sum, our study brings new elements on the mechanism controlling cellular migration in the context of NF1 loss. These data are of prime interest to improve treatment strategies against all NF1-mutated tumors, including this subtype of melanoma.
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13
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Vanni I, Tanda ET, Dalmasso B, Pastorino L, Andreotti V, Bruno W, Boutros A, Spagnolo F, Ghiorzo P. Non-BRAF Mutant Melanoma: Molecular Features and Therapeutical Implications. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:172. [PMID: 32850962 PMCID: PMC7396525 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is one of the most aggressive tumors of the skin, and its incidence is growing worldwide. Historically considered a drug resistant disease, since 2011 the therapeutic landscape of melanoma has radically changed. Indeed, the improved knowledge of the immune system and its interactions with the tumor, and the ever more thorough molecular characterization of the disease, has allowed the development of immunotherapy on the one hand, and molecular target therapies on the other. The increased availability of more performing technologies like Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), and the availability of increasingly large genetic panels, allows the identification of several potential therapeutic targets. In light of this, numerous clinical and preclinical trials are ongoing, to identify new molecular targets. Here, we review the landscape of mutated non-BRAF skin melanoma, in light of recent data deriving from Whole-Exome Sequencing (WES) or Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS) studies on melanoma cohorts for which information on the mutation rate of each gene was available, for a total of 10 NGS studies and 992 samples, focusing on available, or in experimentation, targeted therapies beyond those targeting mutated BRAF. Namely, we describe 33 established and candidate driver genes altered with frequency greater than 1.5%, and the current status of targeted therapy for each gene. Only 1.1% of the samples showed no coding mutations, whereas 30% showed at least one mutation in the RAS genes (mostly NRAS) and 70% showed mutations outside of the RAS genes, suggesting potential new roads for targeted therapy. Ongoing clinical trials are available for 33.3% of the most frequently altered genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Vanni
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Bruna Dalmasso
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Lorenza Pastorino
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Virginia Andreotti
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - William Bruno
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Andrea Boutros
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Paola Ghiorzo
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
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14
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High Throughput strategies Aimed at Closing the GAP in Our Knowledge of Rho GTPase Signaling. Cells 2020; 9:cells9061430. [PMID: 32526908 PMCID: PMC7348934 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Since their discovery, Rho GTPases have emerged as key regulators of cytoskeletal dynamics. In humans, there are 20 Rho GTPases and more than 150 regulators that belong to the RhoGEF, RhoGAP, and RhoGDI families. Throughout development, Rho GTPases choregraph a plethora of cellular processes essential for cellular migration, cell–cell junctions, and cell polarity assembly. Rho GTPases are also significant mediators of cancer cell invasion. Nevertheless, to date only a few molecules from these intricate signaling networks have been studied in depth, which has prevented appreciation for the full scope of Rho GTPases’ biological functions. Given the large complexity involved, system level studies are required to fully grasp the extent of their biological roles and regulation. Recently, several groups have tackled this challenge by using proteomic approaches to map the full repertoire of Rho GTPases and Rho regulators protein interactions. These studies have provided in-depth understanding of Rho regulators specificity and have contributed to expand Rho GTPases’ effector portfolio. Additionally, new roles for understudied family members were unraveled using high throughput screening strategies using cell culture models and mouse embryos. In this review, we highlight theses latest large-scale efforts, and we discuss the emerging opportunities that may lead to the next wave of discoveries.
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15
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Mohan AS, Dean KM, Isogai T, Kasitinon SY, Murali VS, Roudot P, Groisman A, Reed DK, Welf ES, Han SJ, Noh J, Danuser G. Enhanced Dendritic Actin Network Formation in Extended Lamellipodia Drives Proliferation in Growth-Challenged Rac1 P29S Melanoma Cells. Dev Cell 2020; 49:444-460.e9. [PMID: 31063759 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Actin assembly supplies the structural framework for cell morphology and migration. Beyond structure, this actin framework can also be engaged to drive biochemical signaling programs. Here, we describe how the hyperactivation of Rac1 via the P29S mutation (Rac1P29S) in melanoma hijacks branched actin network assembly to coordinate proliferative cues that facilitate metastasis and drug resistance. Upon growth challenge, Rac1P29S-harboring melanoma cells massively upregulate lamellipodia formation by dendritic actin polymerization. These extended lamellipodia form a signaling microdomain that sequesters and phospho-inactivates the tumor suppressor NF2/Merlin, driving Rac1P29S cell proliferation in growth suppressive conditions. These biochemically active lamellipodia require cell-substrate attachment but not focal adhesion assembly and drive proliferation independently of the ERK/MAPK pathway. These data suggest a critical link between cell morphology and cell signaling and reconcile the dichotomy of Rac1's regulation of both proliferation and actin assembly by revealing a mutual signaling axis wherein actin assembly drives proliferation in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwathi S Mohan
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kevin M Dean
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Tadamoto Isogai
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Stacy Y Kasitinon
- Children's Research Institute and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vasanth S Murali
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Philippe Roudot
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Alex Groisman
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Dana K Reed
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Erik S Welf
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sangyoon J Han
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Jungsik Noh
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Gaudenz Danuser
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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16
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Savoia P, Fava P, Casoni F, Cremona O. Targeting the ERK Signaling Pathway in Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061483. [PMID: 30934534 PMCID: PMC6472057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the role of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in melanomagenesis and its progression have opened a new era in the treatment of this tumor. Vemurafenib was the first specific kinase inhibitor approved for therapy of advanced melanomas harboring BRAF-activating mutations, followed by dabrafenib and encorafenib. However, despite the excellent results of first-generation kinase inhibitors in terms of response rate, the average duration of the response was short, due to the onset of genetic and epigenetic resistance mechanisms. The combination therapy with MEK inhibitors is an excellent strategy to circumvent drug resistance, with the additional advantage of reducing side effects due to the paradoxical reactivation of the MAPK pathway. The recent development of RAS and extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK) inhibitors promises to add new players for the ultimate suppression of this signaling pathway and the control of pathway-related drug resistance. In this review, we analyze the pharmacological, preclinical, and clinical trial data of the various MAPK pathway inhibitors, with a keen interest for their clinical applicability in the management of advanced melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Savoia
- Department of Health Science, University of Eastern Piedmont, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fava
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Science, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy.
| | - Filippo Casoni
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy.
- Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy.
| | - Ottavio Cremona
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy.
- Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy.
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17
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Genomic Analysis of Circulating Tumor DNA Using a Melanoma-Specific UltraSEEK Oncogene Panel. J Mol Diagn 2019; 21:418-426. [PMID: 30731208 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The analysis of circulating tumor DNA provides a minimally invasive molecular interrogation that has the potential to guide treatment selection and disease monitoring. Here, the authors evaluated a custom UltraSEEK melanoma panel for the MassARRAY system, probing for 61 mutations over 13 genes. The analytical sensitivity and clinical accuracy of the UltraSEEK melanoma panel was compared with droplet digital PCR. The blinded analysis of 68 mutations detected in 48 plasma samples from stage IV melanoma patients revealed a concordance of 88% between the two platforms. Further comparison of both methods for the detection of BRAF V600E mutations in 77 plasma samples demonstrated a Cohen's κ of 0.826 (bias-corrected and accelerated 95% CI, 0.669-0.946). These results indicate that the UltraSEEK melanoma panel is as sensitive as droplet digital PCR for the detection of circulating tumor DNA in this cohort of patients but highlight the need for detected variants to be confirmed orthogonally to mitigate any false-positive results. The MassARRAY system enables rapid and sensitive genotyping for the detection of multiple melanoma-associated mutations in plasma.
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18
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Zhao X, Little P, Hoyle AP, Pegna GJ, Hayward MC, Ivanova A, Parker JS, Marron DL, Soloway MG, Jo H, Salazar AH, Papakonstantinou MP, Bouchard DM, Jefferys SR, Hoadley KA, Ollila DW, Frank JS, Thomas NE, Googe PB, Ezzell AJ, Collichio FA, Lee CB, Earp HS, Sharpless NE, Hugo W, Wilmott JS, Quek C, Waddell N, Johansson PA, Thompson JF, Hayward NK, Mann GJ, Lo RS, Johnson DB, Scolyer RA, Hayes DN, Moschos SJ. The Prognostic Significance of Low-Frequency Somatic Mutations in Metastatic Cutaneous Melanoma. Front Oncol 2019; 8:584. [PMID: 30662871 PMCID: PMC6329304 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Little is known about the prognostic significance of somatically mutated genes in metastatic melanoma (MM). We have employed a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach on tumor samples from cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) as part of The Cancer Genome Atlas project (TCGA) to identify mutated genes with potential clinical relevance. Methods: After limiting our DNA sequencing analysis to MM samples (n = 356) and to the CANCER CENSUS gene list, we filtered out mutations with low functional significance (snpEFF). We performed Cox analysis on 53 genes that were mutated in ≥3% of samples, and had ≥50% difference in incidence of mutations in deceased subjects versus alive subjects. Results: Four genes were potentially prognostic [RAC1, FGFR1, CARD11, CIITA; false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.2]. We identified 18 additional genes (e.g., SPEN, PDGFRB, GNAS, MAP2K1, EGFR, TSC2) that were less likely to have prognostic value (FDR < 0.4). Most somatic mutations in these 22 genes were infrequent (< 10%), associated with high somatic mutation burden, and were evenly distributed across all exons, except for RAC1 and MAP2K1. Mutations in only 9 of these 22 genes were also identified by RNA sequencing in >75% of the samples that exhibited corresponding DNA mutations. The low frequency, UV signature type and RNA expression of the 22 genes in MM samples were confirmed in a separate multi-institution validation cohort (n = 413). An underpowered analysis within a subset of this validation cohort with available patient follow-up (n = 224) showed that somatic mutations in SPEN and RAC1 reached borderline prognostic significance [log-rank favorable (p = 0.09) and adverse (p = 0.07), respectively]. Somatic mutations in SPEN, and to a lesser extent RAC1, were not associated with definite gene copy number or RNA expression alterations. High (>2+) nuclear plus cytoplasmic expression intensity for SPEN was associated with longer melanoma-specific overall survival (OS) compared to lower (≤ 2+) nuclear intensity (p = 0.048). We conclude that expressed somatic mutations in infrequently mutated genes beyond the well-characterized ones (e.g., BRAF, RAS, CDKN2A, PTEN, TP53), such as RAC1 and SPEN, may have prognostic significance in MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobei Zhao
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Paul Little
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Alan P. Hoyle
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Guillaume J. Pegna
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Michele C. Hayward
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Anastasia Ivanova
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Joel S. Parker
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - David L. Marron
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Matthew G. Soloway
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Heejoon Jo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Ashley H. Salazar
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Michael P. Papakonstantinou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Deeanna M. Bouchard
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Stuart R. Jefferys
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Katherine A. Hoadley
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - David W. Ollila
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Melanoma Program, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jill S. Frank
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Melanoma Program, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Nancy E. Thomas
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Melanoma Program, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Dermatology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Paul B. Googe
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Melanoma Program, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Dermatology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Ashley J. Ezzell
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, Histology Research Core Facility, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Frances A. Collichio
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Melanoma Program, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Carrie B. Lee
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Melanoma Program, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - H. Shelton Earp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Norman E. Sharpless
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Willy Hugo
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - James S. Wilmott
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Camelia Quek
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicola Waddell
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research-QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Peter A. Johansson
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research-QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - John F. Thompson
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas K. Hayward
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research-QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Graham J. Mann
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Roger S. Lo
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Douglas B. Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Richard A. Scolyer
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research-QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - D. Neil Hayes
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Stergios J. Moschos
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Melanoma Program, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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19
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Activated Rho GTPases in Cancer-The Beginning of a New Paradigm. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123949. [PMID: 30544828 PMCID: PMC6321241 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Involvement of Rho GTPases in cancer has been a matter of debate since the identification of the first members of this branch of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases. The Rho GTPases were ascribed important roles in the cell, although these were restricted to regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics, cell morphogenesis, and cell locomotion, with initially no clear indications of direct involvement in cancer progression. This paradigm has been challenged by numerous observations that Rho-regulated pathways are often dysregulated in cancers. More recently, identification of point mutants in the Rho GTPases Rac1, RhoA, and Cdc42 in human tumors has finally given rise to a new paradigm, and we can now state with confidence that Rho GTPases serve as oncogenes in several human cancers. This article provides an exposé of current knowledge of the roles of activated Rho GTPases in cancers.
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20
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Reddy BY, Miller DM, Tsao H. Somatic driver mutations in melanoma. Cancer 2017; 123:2104-2117. [PMID: 28543693 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma has one of the highest somatic mutational burdens among solid malignancies. Although the rapid progress in genomic research has contributed immensely to our understanding of the pathogenesis of melanoma, the clinical significance of the vast array of genomic alterations discovered by next-generation sequencing is far from being fully characterized. Most mutations prevalent in melanoma are simply neutral "passengers," which accompany functionally significant "drivers" under transforming conditions. The delineation of driver mutations from passenger mutations is critical to the development of targeted therapies. Novel advances in genomic data analysis have aided in distinguishing true driver mutations involved in tumor progression. Here, the authors review the current literature on important somatic driver mutations in melanoma, along with the implications for treatment. Cancer 2017;123:2104-17. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Y Reddy
- Department of Dermatology, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David M Miller
- Department of Dermatology, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hensin Tsao
- Department of Dermatology, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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21
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Adler NR, Wolfe R, Kelly JW, Haydon A, McArthur GA, McLean CA, Mar VJ. Tumour mutation status and sites of metastasis in patients with cutaneous melanoma. Br J Cancer 2017; 117:1026-1035. [PMID: 28787433 PMCID: PMC5625668 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2017.254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cutaneous melanoma can metastasise haematogenously and/or lymphogenously to form satellite/in-transit, lymph node or distant metastasis. This study aimed to determine if BRAF and NRAS mutant and wild-type tumours differ in their site of first tumour metastasis and anatomical metastatic pathway. Methods: Prospective cohort of patients with a histologically confirmed primary cutaneous melanoma at three tertiary referral centres in Melbourne, Australia from 2010 to 2015. Multinomial regression determined clinical, histological and mutational factors associated with the site of first metastasis and metastatic pathway. Results: Of 1048 patients, 306 (29%) developed metastasis over a median 4.7 year follow-up period. 73 (24%), 192 (63%) and 41 (13%) developed distant, regional lymph node and satellite/in-transit metastasis as the first site of metastasis, respectively. BRAF mutation was associated with lymph node metastasis (adjusted RRR 2.46 95% CI 1.07–5.69, P=0.04) and sentinel lymph node positivity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.14–2.10, P=0.005). BRAF mutation and NRAS mutation were associated with increased odds of developing liver metastasis (aOR 3.09, 95% CI 1.49–6.42, P=0.003; aOR 3.17, 95% CI 1.32–7.58, P=0.01) and central nervous system (CNS) metastasis (aOR 4.65, 95% CI 2.23–9.69, P<0.001; aOR 4.03, 95% CI 1.72–9.44, P=0.001). NRAS mutation was associated with lung metastasis (aOR 2.44, 95% CI 1.21–4.93, P=0.01). Conclusions: BRAF mutation was found to be associated with lymph node metastasis as first metastasis and sentinel lymph node positivity. BRAF and NRAS mutations were associated with CNS and liver metastasis and NRAS mutation with lung metastasis. If these findings are validated in additional prospective studies, a role for heightened visceral organ surveillance may be warranted in patients with tumours harbouring these somatic mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki R Adler
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Rory Wolfe
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - John W Kelly
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Andrew Haydon
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.,Department of Medical Oncology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Grant A McArthur
- Divisions of Research and Cancer Medicine, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Catriona A McLean
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.,Department of Anatomical Pathology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Victoria J Mar
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.,Skin and Cancer Foundation, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia
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22
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Bertrand JU, Petit V, Hacker E, Berlin I, Hayward NK, Pouteaux M, Sage E, Whiteman DC, Larue L. UVB represses melanocyte cell migration and acts through β-catenin. Exp Dermatol 2017; 26:875-882. [DOI: 10.1111/exd.13318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliette U. Bertrand
- Institut Curie; PSL Research University; INSERM U1021; Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes; Orsay France
- Univ Paris-Sud; Univ Paris-Saclay; CNRS UMR 3347; Orsay France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer; Orsay France
| | - Valérie Petit
- Institut Curie; PSL Research University; INSERM U1021; Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes; Orsay France
- Univ Paris-Sud; Univ Paris-Saclay; CNRS UMR 3347; Orsay France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer; Orsay France
| | - Elke Hacker
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research; Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Irina Berlin
- Institut Curie; PSL Research University; INSERM U1021; Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes; Orsay France
- Univ Paris-Sud; Univ Paris-Saclay; CNRS UMR 3347; Orsay France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer; Orsay France
| | | | - Marie Pouteaux
- Institut Curie; PSL Research University; INSERM U1021; Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes; Orsay France
- Univ Paris-Sud; Univ Paris-Saclay; CNRS UMR 3347; Orsay France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer; Orsay France
| | - Evelyne Sage
- Institut Curie; PSL Research University; INSERM U1021; Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes; Orsay France
- Univ Paris-Sud; Univ Paris-Saclay; CNRS UMR 3347; Orsay France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer; Orsay France
| | | | - Lionel Larue
- Institut Curie; PSL Research University; INSERM U1021; Normal and Pathological Development of Melanocytes; Orsay France
- Univ Paris-Sud; Univ Paris-Saclay; CNRS UMR 3347; Orsay France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer; Orsay France
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23
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de Unamuno Bustos B, Murria Estal R, Pérez Simó G, de Juan Jimenez I, Escutia Muñoz B, Rodríguez Serna M, Alegre de Miquel V, Llavador Ros M, Ballester Sánchez R, Nagore Enguídanos E, Palanca Suela S, Botella Estrada R. Towards Personalized Medicine in Melanoma: Implementation of a Clinical Next-Generation Sequencing Panel. Sci Rep 2017; 7:495. [PMID: 28356599 PMCID: PMC5428782 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00606-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular diagnostics are increasingly performed routinely in the diagnosis and management of patients with melanoma due to the development of novel therapies that target specific genetic mutations. The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has enabled to sequence multiple cancer-driving genes in a single assay, with improved sensitivity in mutation detection. The main objective of this study was the design and implementation of a melanoma-specific sequencing panel, and the identification of the spectrum of somatic mutations in a series of primary melanoma samples. A custom panel was designed to cover the coding regions of 35 melanoma-related genes. Panel average coverage was 2,575.5 reads per amplicon, with 92,8% of targeted bases covered ≥500×. Deep coverage enabled sensitive discovery of mutations in as low as 0.5% mutant allele frequency. Eighty-five percent (85/100) of the melanomas had at least one somatic mutation. The most prevalent mutated genes were BRAF (50%;50/199), NRAS (15%;15/100), PREX2 (14%;14/100), GRIN2A (13%;13/100), and ERBB4 (12%;12/100). Turn-around-time and costs for NGS-based analysis was reduced in comparison to conventional molecular approaches. The results of this study demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of a custom-designed targeted NGS panel, and suggest the implementation of targeted NGS into daily routine practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosa Murria Estal
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Service of Clinical Analysis, Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gema Pérez Simó
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Service of Clinical Analysis, Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Inmaculada de Juan Jimenez
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Service of Clinical Analysis, Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Begoña Escutia Muñoz
- Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Eduardo Nagore Enguídanos
- Department of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sarai Palanca Suela
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Service of Clinical Analysis, Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
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24
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UV-Induced Molecular Signaling Differences in Melanoma and Non-melanoma Skin Cancer. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 996:27-40. [PMID: 29124688 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-56017-5_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
There are three major types of skin cancer: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). BCC and SCC are often referred to as non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). NMSCs are relatively non-lethal and curable by surgery, hence are not reportable in most cancer registries all over the world. Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer. Its incidence rate (case number) is about 1/10th of that for NMSC, yet its death toll is ~8 fold higher than NMSC.Melanomas arise from melanocytes which are normally located on the basement membrane with dendrites extending into the epidermal keratinocytes. A major known function of melanocytes is to produce pigments which are enclosed by lipid membrane (termed melanosomes) and distribute them into keratinocytes, thus give different shade of skin colors. BCCs arise from basal cells, which are a layer of cells located at the deepest part of epidermis. Basal cells are recently considered to be skin stem cells as they are constantly proliferating and generating keratinocytes which are continuously pushed to the surface and eventually become a dead layer of stratum corneum. Squamous cells are the keratinocytes which resembles fish scale shape, ie, those initiated from basal cells and differentiated into squamous cells. Both basal cells and squamous cells belong to keratinocytes, therefore sometimes BCC and SCC are termed keratinocyte cancer.These three types of cancer share many characteristics, yet they are very different from etiology to progression. One shared characteristic of skin cancer is that, according to the current views, they all are caused by solar or artificial ultraviolet radiation (UVR). UVA and UVB from solar UVR are the major UV bands reaching the earth surface. Both UV types cause DNA damage and immune suppression which play crucial roles in skin carcinogenesis. UVB can be directly absorbed by DNA molecules and thus causes UV-signature DNA damages; UVA, on the other hand, may function through inducing cellular ROS which then causes oxidative DNA damages [1-4]. This chapter will discuss the molecular signaling differences of UVR in melanoma and NMSC.
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25
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Adler NR, Haydon A, McLean CA, Kelly JW, Mar VJ. Metastatic pathways in patients with cutaneous melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2016; 30:13-27. [PMID: 27900851 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis represents the end product of an elaborate biological process, which is determined by a complex interplay between metastatic tumour cells, host factors and homoeostatic mechanisms. Cutaneous melanoma can metastasize haematogenously or lymphogenously. The three predominant models that endeavour to explain the patterns of melanoma progression are the stepwise spread model, the simultaneous spread model and the model of differential spread. The time course to the development of metastases differs between the different metastatic routes. There are several clinical and histopathological risk factors for the different metastatic pathways. In particular, patient sex and the anatomical location of the primary tumour influence patterns of disease progression. There is limited existing evidence regarding the relationship between tumour mutation status, other diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and the metastatic pathways of primary cutaneous melanoma. This knowledge gap needs to be addressed to better identify patients at high risk of disease recurrence and personalize surveillance strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki R Adler
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Andrew Haydon
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,Department of Medical Oncology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Catriona A McLean
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - John W Kelly
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Victoria J Mar
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,Skin and Cancer Foundation, Carlton, Vic, Australia
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26
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Porter AP, Papaioannou A, Malliri A. Deregulation of Rho GTPases in cancer. Small GTPases 2016; 7:123-38. [PMID: 27104658 PMCID: PMC5003542 DOI: 10.1080/21541248.2016.1173767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro and in vivo studies and evidence from human tumors have long implicated Rho GTPase signaling in the formation and dissemination of a range of cancers. Recently next generation sequencing has identified direct mutations of Rho GTPases in human cancers. Moreover, the effects of ablating genes encoding Rho GTPases and their regulators in mouse models, or through pharmacological inhibition, strongly suggests that targeting Rho GTPase signaling could constitute an effective treatment. In this review we will explore the various ways in which Rho signaling can be deregulated in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. Porter
- Cell Signaling Group, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Alexandra Papaioannou
- Cell Signaling Group, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- “Cellular and Genetic Etiology, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Disease” Graduate Program, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Angeliki Malliri
- Cell Signaling Group, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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27
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Vu HL, Rosenbaum S, Purwin TJ, Davies MA, Aplin AE. RAC1 P29S regulates PD-L1 expression in melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2016; 28:590-8. [PMID: 26176707 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Whole exome sequencing of cutaneous melanoma has led to the detection of P29 mutations in RAC1 in 5-9% of samples, but the role of RAC1 P29 mutations in melanoma biology remains unclear. Using reverse phase protein array analysis to examine the changes in protein/phospho-protein expression, we identified cyclin B1, PD-L1, Ets-1, and Syk as being selectively upregulated with RAC1 P29S expression and downregulated with RAC1 P29S depletion. Using the melanoma patient samples in TCGA, we found PD-L1 expression to be significantly increased in RAC1 P29S patients compared to RAC1 WT as well as other RAC1 mutants. The finding that PD-L1 is upregulated suggests that oncogenic RAC1 P29S may promote suppression of the antitumor immune response. This is a new insight into the biological function of RAC1 P29S mutations with potential clinical implications as PD-L1 is a candidate biomarker for increased benefit from treatment with anti-PD1 or anti-PD-L1 antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Linh Vu
- Department of Cancer Biology and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sheera Rosenbaum
- Department of Cancer Biology and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Timothy J Purwin
- Department of Cancer Biology and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael A Davies
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Cancer Biology and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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28
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Smithers CC, Overduin M. Structural Mechanisms and Drug Discovery Prospects of Rho GTPases. Cells 2016; 5:E26. [PMID: 27304967 PMCID: PMC4931675 DOI: 10.3390/cells5020026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 05/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rho GTPases regulate cellular morphology and dynamics, and some are key drivers of cancer progression. This superfamily offers attractive potential targets for therapeutic intervention, with RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 being prime examples. The challenges in developing agents that act on these signaling enzymes include the lack of obvious druggable pockets and their membrane-bound activities. However, progress in targeting the similar Ras protein is illuminating new strategies for specifically inhibiting oncogenic GTPases. The structures of multiple signaling and regulatory states of Rho proteins have been determined, and the post-translational modifications including acylation and phosphorylation points have been mapped and their functional effects examined. The development of inhibitors to probe the significance of overexpression and mutational hyperactivation of these GTPases underscores their importance in cancer progression. The ability to integrate in silico, in vitro, and in vivo investigations of drug-like molecules indicates the growing tractability of GTPase systems for lead optimization. Although no Rho-targeted drug molecules have yet been clinically approved, this family is clearly showing increasing promise for the development of precision medicine and combination cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron C Smithers
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada.
| | - Michael Overduin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada.
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29
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King SJ, Asokan SB, Haynes EM, Zimmerman SP, Rotty JD, Alb JG, Tagliatela A, Blake DR, Lebedeva IP, Marston D, Johnson HE, Parsons M, Sharpless NE, Kuhlman B, Haugh JM, Bear JE. Lamellipodia are crucial for haptotactic sensing and response. J Cell Sci 2016; 129:2329-42. [PMID: 27173494 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.184507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Haptotaxis is the process by which cells respond to gradients of substrate-bound cues, such as extracellular matrix proteins (ECM); however, the cellular mechanism of this response remains poorly understood and has mainly been studied by comparing cell behavior on uniform ECMs with different concentrations of components. To study haptotaxis in response to gradients, we utilized microfluidic chambers to generate gradients of the ECM protein fibronectin, and imaged the cell migration response. Lamellipodia are fan-shaped protrusions that are common in migrating cells. Here, we define a new function for lamellipodia and the cellular mechanism required for haptotaxis - differential actin and lamellipodial protrusion dynamics lead to biased cell migration. Modest differences in lamellipodial dynamics occurring over time periods of seconds to minutes are summed over hours to produce differential whole cell movement towards higher concentrations of fibronectin. We identify a specific subset of lamellipodia regulators as being crucial for haptotaxis. Numerous studies have linked components of this pathway to cancer metastasis and, consistent with this, we find that expression of the oncogenic Rac1 P29S mutation abrogates haptotaxis. Finally, we show that haptotaxis also operates through this pathway in 3D environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J King
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Sreeja B Asokan
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Haynes
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Seth P Zimmerman
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jeremy D Rotty
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - James G Alb
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Alicia Tagliatela
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Devon R Blake
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Irina P Lebedeva
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Daniel Marston
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Heath E Johnson
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Maddy Parsons
- King's College London, Randall Institute, London SE1 8RT, UK
| | - Norman E Sharpless
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Brian Kuhlman
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jason M Haugh
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - James E Bear
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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30
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Zhang T, Dutton-Regester K, Brown KM, Hayward NK. The genomic landscape of cutaneous melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2016; 29:266-83. [PMID: 26833684 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Somatic mutation analysis of melanoma has been performed at the single gene level extensively over the past several decades. This has provided considerable insight into the critical pathways controlling melanoma initiation and progression. During the last 5 yr, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has enabled even more comprehensive mutational screening at the level of multigene panels, exomes and genomes. These studies have uncovered many new and unexpected players in melanoma development. The recent landmark study from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) consortium describing the genomic architecture of 333 cutaneous melanomas provides the largest and broadest analysis to date on the somatic aberrations underlying melanoma genesis. It thus seems timely to review the mutational landscape of melanoma and highlight the key genes and cellular pathways that appear to drive this cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongwu Zhang
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ken Dutton-Regester
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Oncogenomics Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Qld, Australia
| | - Kevin M Brown
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicholas K Hayward
- Oncogenomics Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Qld, Australia
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31
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Voskoboynik M, Mar V, Mailer S, Colebatch A, Fennessy A, Logan A, Hewitt C, Cebon J, Kelly J, McArthur G. Clinicopathological characteristics associated with BRAF(K601E) and BRAF(L597) mutations in melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2016; 29:222-8. [PMID: 26643848 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BRAF mutations at codons L597 and K601 occur uncommonly in melanoma. Clinical and pathological associations of these mutations were investigated in a cohort of 1119 patients with known BRAF mutation status. A BRAF mutation was identified in 435 patients; Mutations at L597 and the K601E mutation were seen in 3.4 and 3.2% of these, respectively. K601E melanomas tended to occur in male patients, a median age of 58 yr, were generally found on the trunk (64%) and uncommonly associated with chronically sun-damaged (CSD) skin. BRAF L597 melanomas occurred in older patients (median 66 yr), but were associated with CSD skin (extremities or head and neck location - 73.3%, P = 0.001). Twenty-three percent of patients with V600E- and 43% of patients with K601E-mutant melanomas presented with nodal disease at diagnosis compared to just 14% of patients with BRAF wild-type tumors (P = 0.001 and 0.006, respectively). Overall, these mutations represent a significant minority of BRAF mutations, but have distinct clinicopathological phenotypes and clinical behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Voskoboynik
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Victoria Mar
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Skin and Cancer Foundation, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Sonia Mailer
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | | | - Anne Fennessy
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | | | - Chelsee Hewitt
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Jonathon Cebon
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Vic., Australia
| | - John Kelly
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Grant McArthur
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Melbourne University, Parkville, Vic., Australia
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32
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Weiss S, Hanniford D, Hernando E, Osman I. Revisiting determinants of prognosis in cutaneous melanoma. Cancer 2015; 121:4108-23. [PMID: 26308244 PMCID: PMC4666819 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.29634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for cutaneous melanoma is based on primary tumor thickness and the presence of ulceration, mitoses, lymph node spread, and distant metastases as determinants of prognosis. Although this cutaneous melanoma staging system has evolved over time to more accurately reflect patient prognosis, improvements are still needed, because current understanding of the particular factors (genetic mutation, expression alteration, host response, etc) that are critical for predicting patient outcomes is incomplete. Given the clinical and biologic heterogeneity of primary melanomas, new prognostic tools are needed to more precisely identify patients who are most likely to develop advanced disease. Such tools would affect clinical surveillance strategies and aid in patient selection for adjuvant therapy. The authors reviewed the literature on prognostic molecular and immunologic markers in primary cutaneous melanoma, their associations with clinicopathologic and survival outcomes, and their potential for incorporation into current staging models. Overall, the studies considered in this review did not define prognostic markers that could be readily incorporated into the current staging system. Therefore, efforts should be continued in these and other directions to maximize the likelihood of identifying clinically useful prognostic biomarkers for cutaneous melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Weiss
- Department of Medical Oncology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Douglas Hanniford
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Eva Hernando
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Iman Osman
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
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33
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Carlino MS, Long GV, Kefford RF, Rizos H. Targeting oncogenic BRAF and aberrant MAPK activation in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2015; 96:385-98. [PMID: 26358420 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2015.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Revised: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BRAF and MEK inhibitors, alone or in combination, are highly active in the 40% of patients with BRAF mutant metastatic melanoma. Despite this activity resistance often develops in patients treated with these agents. This review summarises the biology of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, with particular reference to the effects of BRAF and MEK inhibitors in BRAF mutant melanoma. The clinical and molecular predictors of response and mechanisms of resistance are discussed in detail along with the biological rationale and evidence for future treatment strategies in both MAPK inhibitor naïve and resistant BRAF mutant melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo S Carlino
- Departments of Medical Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Georgina V Long
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The Mater Hospital, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard F Kefford
- Departments of Medical Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Helen Rizos
- Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia
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34
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Mar VJ, Liu W, Devitt B, Wong SQ, Dobrovic A, McArthur GA, Wolfe R, Kelly JW. The role of BRAF mutations in primary melanoma growth rate and survival. Br J Dermatol 2015; 173:76-82. [PMID: 25752325 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.13756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical behaviour and prognosis of primary melanomas harbouring BRAF mutations is not fully understood. OBJECTIVES To investigate the effect of mutation status on primary melanoma growth rate and melanoma-specific survival (MSS). METHODS A prospective cohort of 196 patients with stage I-III primary cutaneous melanoma were followed for a median of 92 months, pre-dating the institution of BRAF inhibitor therapy. Clinicopathological variables were correlated with mutation status and hazard ratios (HRs) estimated for MSS. RESULTS Of 196 tumours, 77 (39.2%) were BRAF V600E, 10 (5.1%) BRAF V600K and 33 (16.8%) were NRAS mutant. BRAF V600E mutant melanomas were associated with favourable clinical characteristics and tended to be slower growing compared with BRAF V600K, NRAS mutant or BRAF/NRAS wild-type tumours (0.12 mm per month, 0.61 mm per month, 0.36 mm per month and 0.23 mm per month, respectively; P = 0.05). There were 39 melanoma deaths, and BRAF mutant melanomas were associated with poorer MSS in stage I-III disease [HR 2.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-5.63; P = 0.02] and stage I-II disease (HR 3.39, 95% CI 1.12-10.22; P = 0.03) after adjusting for other prognostic variables. Considered separately, BRAF V600E mutant melanomas were strongly associated with MSS independently of thickness and nodal status (HR 3.89, 95% CI 1.67-9.09; P < 0.01) but BRAF V600K mutant tumours were not (HR 1.19, 95% CI 0.36-3.92; P = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS The presence of a BRAF mutation does not necessarily 'drive' more rapid tumour growth but is associated with poorer MSS in patients with early-stage disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- V J Mar
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., 3181, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., 3181, Australia.,Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, St Andrews Place, East Melbourne, Vic., 3002, Australia
| | - W Liu
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., 3181, Australia
| | - B Devitt
- Department of Oncology, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Vic., 3065, Australia
| | - S Q Wong
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, St Andrews Place, East Melbourne, Vic., 3002, Australia
| | - A Dobrovic
- Translational Genomics and Epigenomics Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Vic., 3084, Australia
| | - G A McArthur
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, St Andrews Place, East Melbourne, Vic., 3002, Australia
| | - R Wolfe
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., 3181, Australia
| | - J W Kelly
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., 3181, Australia
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Wong SQ, Behren A, Mar VJ, Woods K, Li J, Martin C, Sheppard KE, Wolfe R, Kelly J, Cebon J, Dobrovic A, McArthur GA. Whole exome sequencing identifies a recurrent RQCD1 P131L mutation in cutaneous melanoma. Oncotarget 2015; 6:1115-27. [PMID: 25544760 PMCID: PMC4359221 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is often caused by mutations due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This study reports a recurrent somatic C > T change causing a P131L mutation in the RQCD1 (Required for Cell Differentiation1 Homolog) gene identified through whole exome sequencing of 20 metastatic melanomas. Screening in 715 additional primary melanomas revealed a prevalence of ~4%. This represents the first reported recurrent mutation in a member of the CCR4-NOT complex in cancer. Compared to tumors without the mutation, the P131L mutant positive tumors were associated with increased thickness (p = 0.02), head and neck (p = 0.009) and upper limb (p = 0.03) location, lentigo maligna melanoma subtype (p = 0.02) and BRAF V600K (p = 0.04) but not V600E or NRAS codon 61 mutations. There was no association with nodal disease (p = 0.3). Mutually exclusive mutations of other members of the CCR4-NOT complex were found in ~20% of the TCGA melanoma dataset suggesting the complex may play an important role in melanoma biology. Mutant RQCD1 was predicted to bind strongly to HLA-A0201 and HLA-Cw3 MHC1 complexes. From thirteen patients with mutant RQCD1, an anti-tumor CD8⁺ T cell response was observed from a single patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cell population stimulated with mutated peptide compared to wildtype indicating a neoantigen may be formed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Q. Wong
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andreas Behren
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Victoria J. Mar
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine Woods
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jason Li
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claire Martin
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karen E. Sheppard
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rory Wolfe
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - John Kelly
- Victorian Melanoma Service, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jonathan Cebon
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexander Dobrovic
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Grant A. McArthur
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Salhi A, Farhadian JA, Giles KM, Vega-Saenz de Miera E, Silva IP, Bourque C, Yeh K, Chhangawala S, Wang J, Ye F, Zhang DY, Hernando-Monge E, Houvras Y, Osman I. RSK1 activation promotes invasion in nodular melanoma. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2015; 185:704-16. [PMID: 25579842 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 11/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The two major melanoma histologic subtypes, superficial spreading and nodular melanomas, differ in their speed of dermal invasion but converge biologically once they invade and metastasize. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that distinct molecular alterations arising in primary melanoma cells might persist as these tumors progress to invasion and metastasis. Ribosomal protein S6 kinase, 90 kDa, polypeptide 1 (RSK1; official name RPS6KA1) was significantly hyperactivated in human melanoma lines and metastatic tissues derived from nodular compared with superficial spreading melanoma. RSK1 was constitutively phosphorylated at Ser-380 in nodular but not superficial spreading melanoma and did not directly correlate with BRAF or MEK activation. Nodular melanoma cells were more sensitive to RSK1 inhibition using siRNA and the pharmacological inhibitor BI-D1870 compared with superficial spreading cells. Gene expression microarray analyses revealed that RSK1 orchestrated a program of gene expression that promoted cell motility and invasion. Differential overexpression of the prometastatic matrix metalloproteinase 8 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 in metastatic nodular compared with metastatic superficial spreading melanoma was observed. Finally, using an in vivo zebrafish model, constitutive RSK1 activation increased melanoma invasion. Together, these data reveal a novel role for activated RSK1 in the progression of nodular melanoma and suggest that melanoma originating from different histologic subtypes may be biologically distinct and that these differences are maintained as the tumors invade and metastasize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amel Salhi
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Joshua A Farhadian
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Keith M Giles
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Eleazar Vega-Saenz de Miera
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Ines P Silva
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Caitlin Bourque
- Departments of Surgery and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - Karen Yeh
- Departments of Surgery and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - Sagar Chhangawala
- Departments of Surgery and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - Jinhua Wang
- New York University Langone Medical Center Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Center for Health Informatics and Bioinformatics, New York, New York
| | - Fei Ye
- Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - David Y Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Eva Hernando-Monge
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Yariv Houvras
- Departments of Surgery and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - Iman Osman
- The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
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Abstract
RAC1 is a GTPase member of the RAS superfamily, and RAC1(P29S) was recently identified as the third most common recurrent mutation in melanomas, affecting 4-7% of the patients. This is an oncogenic mutation, because the mutant protein remains mostly in its active GTP-bound form, and its ectopic expression increases the rate of normal melanocytes proliferation and migration. There is limited information regarding the functional role of RAC1(P29S) as a "driver" in human melanogenesis and as a cause for drug resistance. This commentary describes the latest data and provides evidence that supports the notion that RAC1 is activated even in melanoma cells that do not carry the mutation rendering it a good target for therapy. On the other hand, its role in conferring resistance to BRAF or MEK inhibitors is still in question.
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Beyond BRAF: where next for melanoma therapy? Br J Cancer 2014; 112:217-26. [PMID: 25180764 PMCID: PMC4453440 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2014.476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, melanoma has become a poster-child for the development of oncogene-directed targeted therapies. This approach, which has been exemplified by the development of small-molecule BRAF inhibitors and the BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination for BRAF-mutant melanoma, has brought new hope to patients. Despite these successes, treatment failure seems near inevitable in the majority of cases—even in individuals treated with the BRAF/MEK inhibitor doublet. In the current review, we discuss the future of combination strategies for patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma as well as the emerging therapeutic options for patients with NRAS-mutant and BRAF/NRAS-wild-type melanoma. We also outline some of the newest developments in the in-depth personalisation of therapy that should allow melanoma treatment to continue shaping the field precision cancer medicine.
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