Artemisinin Inhibits the Migration and Invasion in Uveal Melanoma via Inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Celastrol inhibits mouse B16-F10 melanoma cell survival by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and repressing HIF-1α expression

OBJECTIVE

Melanoma, with its high degree of malignancy, stands as one of the most dangerous skin cancers and remains the primary cause of death from skin cancer. With studies demonstrating the potential of traditional Chinese medicine to intervene and treat melanoma, we turned our attention to celastrol. Celastrol is a triterpene compound extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine derived from Tripterygium wilfordii. Previous studies have shown that celastrol exerts inhibitory effects on various malignant tumors, including melanoma. Hence, our goal was to clarify the impact of celastrol on cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression by elucidating its effects on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

METHODS

CCK-8 and wound healing assays were used to determine the effect of celastrol on the viability and migration of B16-F10 cells. Changes in cell apoptosis, cell cycle, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and mitochondrial membrane potential were detected by flow cytometry. PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway proteins and HIF-α mRNA expression in B16-F10 cells were detected by western blotting and qPCR. Moreover, the addition of a PI3K activator demonstrated that celastrol could inhibit the function of B16-F10 cells via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

RESULTS

Celastrol inhibited the viability and migration of B16-F10 cells. Through the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway down-regulates the expression of HIF-α mRNA, thereby causing an increase of ROS in cells and a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential to promote cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. The inhibitory effect of celastrol on B16-F10 cells was further demonstrated by co-culturing with a PI3K activator.

CONCLUSION

Celastrol inhibits the function of B16-F10 cells by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR cellular pathway and regulating the expression of downstream HIF-α mRNA.

Floating electrode-dielectric barrier discharge-based plasma promotes skin regeneration in a full-thickness skin defect mouse model

Wound healing involves a complex and dynamic interplay among various cell types, cytokines, and growth factors. Macrophages and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) play an essential role in different phases of wound healing. Cold atmospheric plasma has a wide range of applications in the treatment of chronic wounds. Hence, we aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of a custom-made plasma device in a full-thickness skin defect mouse model. Here, we investigated the wound tissue on days 6 and 12 using histology, qPCR, and western blotting. During the inflammation phase of wound repair, macrophages play an important role in the onset and resolution of inflammation, showing decreased F4/80 on day 6 of plasma treatment and increased TGF-β1 levels. The plasma-treated group showed better epidermal epithelialization, dermal fibrosis, collagen maturation, and reduced inflammation than the control group. Our findings revealed that floating electrode-dielectric barrier discharge (FE-DBD)-based atmospheric-pressure plasma promoted significantly faster wound healing in the plasma-treated group than that in the control group with untreated wounds. Hence, plasma treatment accelerated wound healing processes without noticeable side effects and suppressed pro-inflammatory genes, suggesting that FE-DBD-based plasma could be a potential therapeutic option for treating various wounds.

Expression and functional significance of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 in uveal melanoma

Uveal melanoma (UVM), an uncommon yet potentially life-threatening ocular cancer, arises from melanocytes in the uveal tract of the eye. The exploration of novel oncotargets for UVM is of paramount importance. In this study, we show that PCK1 (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1) expression is upregulated in various UVM tissues as well as in primary UVM cells and immortalized lines. Furthermore, bioinformatics studies reveal that PCK1 overexpression in UVM correlates with advanced disease stages and poor patient survival. Genetic silencing (utilizing viral shRNA) or knockout (via CRISPR/Cas9) of PCK1 significantly curtailed cell viability, proliferation, cell cycle progression, and motility, while provoking apoptosis in primary and immortalized UVM cells. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of PCK1, achieved through a viral construct, bolstered UVM cell proliferation and migration. Gαi3 expression and Akt phosphorylation were reduced following PCK1 silencing or knockout, but increased after PCK1 overexpression in UVM cells. Restoring Akt phosphorylation through a constitutively active mutant Akt1 (S473D) ameliorated the growth inhibition, migration suppression, and apoptosis induced by PCK1 silencing in UVM cells. Additionally, ectopic expression of Gαi3 restored Akt activation and counteracted the anti-UVM cell effects by PCK1 silencing. In vivo, the growth of subcutaneous xenografts of primary human UVM cells was significantly inhibited following intratumoral injection of adeno-associated virus (aav) expressing PCK1 shRNA. PCK1 depletion, Gαi3 downregulation, Akt inhibition, proliferation arrest, and apoptosis were detected in PCK1-silenced UVM xenografts. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PCK1 promotes UVM cell growth possibly by modulating the Gαi3-Akt signaling pathway.

Artesunate attenuates the tumorigenesis of choroidal melanoma via inhibiting EFNA3 through Stat3/Akt signaling pathway

PURPOSE

Choroidal melanoma (CM), a kind of malignant tumor, is the main type of Uveal melanoma and one half of CM patients develop metastases. As a member of Eph/ephrin pathway that plays vital role in tumors, EphrinA3 (EFNA3) has been proved to promote tumorigenesis in many tumors. But the effect of EFNA3 in CM has not been studied yet. Through inhibiting angiogenesis, inducing apoptosis and autophagy and so on, Artesunate (ART) plays a key anti-tumor role in many tumors, including CM. However, the exact mechanisms of anti-tumor in CM remain unclear.

METHODS

The UALCAN and TIMER v2.0 database analyzed the role of EFNA3 in CM patients. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect the expression of EFNA3 in CM. The growth ability of CM was tested by clonogenic assay and Cell counting kit-8 assay, and the migration ability using Transwell assay.

RESULTS

Our results found EFNA3 boosted CM cells' growth and migration through activating Stat3/Akt signaling pathway, while ART inhibited the tumor promoting effect of CM via downregulating EFNA3. In xenograft tumor model, EFNA3 knockdown and ART significantly inhibited tumor growth.

CONCLUSION

EFNA3 could be a valuable prognostic factor in CM.

Network pharmacology combined with experimental verification to explore the potential mechanism of naringenin in the treatment of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Traditional treatment methods have become limited. Naringenin, a flavonoid abundant in various fruits and herbal medicines, has demonstrated anti-tumor properties among other effects. This research undertook to elucidate the mechanism of naringenin in the context of cervical cancer treatment by leveraging network pharmacology and performing experimental validation. Initial steps involved predicting potential naringenin targets and subsequently screening for overlaps between these targets and those related to cervical cancer, followed by analysis of their interrelationships. Molecular docking was subsequently utilized to verify the binding effect of the central target. Within the framework of network pharmacology, it was discovered that naringenin might possess anti-cancer properties specific to cervical cancer. Following this, the anti-tumor effects of naringenin on Hela cell viability, migration, and invasion were assessed employing CCK-8, transwell, wound healing assays, and western blotting. Experimental data indicated that naringenin attenuates the migration and invasion of Hela cells via downregulation EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Thus, our findings suggest that naringenin has therapeutic impacts on cervical cancer via multiple mechanisms, primarily by inhibiting the migration and invasion through the EGFR/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. This study offers fresh insights for future clinical studies.

En Route to Targeted Ribosome Editing to Replenish Skin Anchor Protein LAMB3 in Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa

Severe junctional epidermolysis bullosa is a rare genetic, postpartum lethal skin disease, predominantly caused by nonsense/premature termination codon (PTC) sequence variants in LAMB3 gene. LAMB3 encodes LAMB3, the β subunit of epidermal-dermal skin anchor laminin 332. Most translational reads of a PTC mRNA deliver truncated, nonfunctional proteins, whereas an endogenous PTC readthrough mechanism produces full-length protein at minimal and insufficient levels. Conventional translational readthrough-inducing drugs amplify endogenous PTC readthrough; however, translational readthrough-inducing drugs are either proteotoxic or nonselective. Ribosome editing is a more selective and less toxic strategy. This technique identified ribosomal protein L35/uL29 (ie, RpL35) and RpL35-ligands repurposable drugs artesunate and atazanavir as molecular tools to increase production levels of full-length LAMB3. To evaluate ligand activity in living cells, we monitored artesunate and atazanavir treatment by dual luciferase reporter assays. Production levels of full-length LAMB3 increased up to 200% upon artesunate treatment, up to 150% upon atazanavir treatment, and up to 170% upon combinatorial treatment of RpL35 ligands at reduced drug dosage, with an unrelated PTC reporter being nonresponsive. Proof of bioactivity of RpL35 ligands in selective increase of full-length LAMB3 provides the basis for an alternative, targeted therapeutic route to replenish LAMB3 in severe junctional epidermolysis bullosa.

Targeted Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Axis: Potential for Sarcoma Therapy

Sarcoma is a heterogeneous group of malignancies often resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/ protein kinase B /mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway has emerged as a critical cancer target due to its central role in regulating key cellular processes such as cell growth, proliferation, survival, and metabolism. Dysregulation of this pathway has been implicated in the development and progression of bone sarcomas (BS) and soft tissue sarcomas (STS). PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors have shown promising preclinical and clinical activity in various cancers. These agents can inhibit the activation of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR, thereby reducing the downstream signaling events that promote tumor growth and survival. In addition, PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors have been shown to enhance the efficacy of other anticancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The different types of PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors vary in their specificity, potency, and side effect profiles and may be effective depending on the specific sarcoma type and stage. The molecular targeting of PI3K/Akt/mToR pathway using drugs, phytochemicals, nanomaterials (NMs), and microbe-derived molecules as Pan-PI3K inhibitors, selective PI3K inhibitors, and dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors have been delineated. While there are still challenges to be addressed, the preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that these inhibitors may significantly improve patient outcomes. Further research is needed to understand the potential of these inhibitors as sarcoma therapeutics and to continue developing more selective and effective agents to meet the clinical needs of sarcoma patients.

Next-generation sequencing of uveal melanoma with clinical and histological correlations: Prognostic value of new mutations in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

BACKGROUND

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the eye's most common primary malignancy and there are no effective therapies for disseminated disease. It is important to try to know the patient's prognosis. The aim of this study was to reflect genetic variants, studied using NGS, of a series of 69 cases of UM and its correlation with histopathology and clinical progression.

METHODS

We performed targeted NGS using a 519-gene panel.

RESULTS

There were selected 28 different mutated genes, showing a total of 231 genetic variants that affected the function of the protein. The most common secondary mutations occurred in SF3B1 (in 26%), followed by BAP1 (in 23%), LRP1B (22%) and FGFR4 (20%). BAP1 mutation was associated with a greater likelihood of metastases and with greater presence of epithelioid cells. LRP1B was also associated with presence of epithelioid cells SF3B1 mutation was significantly associated with a spindle morphology. We found variants in the RAD51B, TOP2A, PTPRD, TSC2, DHX9, PDK1 and MTOR that have not been previously reported in consulted databases. The presence of a mutation in: CHEK2, DHX9 and PDK1 was associated with metastases.

CONCLUSIONS

BAP1 is the most solid biomarker of a poor prognosis in UM and mutations can be detected using NGS. SF3B1 is associated with the spindle cell subtype of UM, which gives it probably a favourable prognostic value. Our study suggests that mutations in DHX9 and PDK1 can have prognostic value. These potential biomarkers are related to the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and makes them candidates for developing new directed therapies.

FOXD1 expression-based prognostic model for uveal melanoma

FOXD1, a new member of the FOX transcription factor family, serves as a mediator and biomarker for cell reprogramming. But its contribution to prognosis of uveal melanoma (UVM) is unclear. This study demonstrated that FOXD1 might promote tumor growth and invasion, because FOXD1 expression was negatively correlated with overall survival, progression-free survival, and disease-specific survival in UVM patients. This conjecture was verified in cell culture with human uveal melanoma cell line (MUM2B) as model cells. Additionally, the biological mechanisms of FOXD1 based on FOXD1-related genomic spectrum, molecular pathways, tumor microenvironment, and drug treatment sensitivity were examined using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, aiming to reasonably explain why FOXD1 leads to poor prognosis of UVM. On these bases, a novel tumor prognostic model was established using the FOXD1-related immunomodulators TMEM173, TNFRSF4, TNFSF13, and ULBP1, which will enable the stratification of disease seriousness and clinical treatment for patients.

Bufalin targeting BFAR inhibits the occurrence and metastasis of gastric cancer through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway

Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common malignant tumor of digestive system. Bufalin extracted from Venenum Bufonis is one of the most effective anticancer monomers, which has been proved to play anticancer roles in a variety of cancers such as ovarian cancer, prostate cancer and neuroblastoma. However, there are few studies on bufalin in GC, and lack of clear targets. The effect of bufalin on the proliferation and migration of GC cells was detected by CCK-8, scratch wound healing assay, transwell assay and Western blotting. The potential direct interaction proteins of bufalin were screened by human proteome microarray containing 21,838 human proteins. The target protein was determined by bioinformatics, and the binding sites were predicted by molecular docking technique. Biological experiments in vitro and in vivo were conducted to verify the effect of bufalin directly interaction protein and the mechanism of bufalin targeting the protein to inhibit the development of GC. The results showed that bufalin inhibited the proliferation and migration of MKN-45 and HGC-27 GC cell lines in vitro. BFAR, a direct interaction protein of bufalin has several potential binding sites to bufalin. BFAR is highly expressed in GC and promotes the occurrence and metastasis of GC by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway in vitro and in vivo. Bufalin reversed the promoting effect of BFAR on the carcinogenesis and metastasis of GC by down-regulating the expression of BFAR. Our results show that bufalin targeting BFAR inhibits the occurrence and metastasis of GC through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway. These results provide a new basis for bufalin as a promising drug for the treatment of GC.

Signaling pathways driving ocular malignancies and their targeting by bioactive phytochemicals

Ocular cancers represent a rare pathology. The American Cancer Society estimates that 3,360 cases of ocular cancer occur annually in the United States. The major types of cancers of the eye include ocular melanoma (also known as uveal melanoma), ocular lymphoma, retinoblastoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. While uveal melanoma is one of the primary intraocular cancers with the highest occurrence in adults, retinoblastoma remains the most common primary intraocular cancer in children, and squamous cell carcinoma presents as the most common conjunctival cancer. The pathophysiology of these diseases involves specific cell signaling pathways. Oncogene mutations, tumor suppressor mutations, chromosome deletions/translocations and altered proteins are all described as causal events in developing ocular cancer. Without proper identification and treatment of these cancers, vision loss, cancer spread, and even death can occur. The current treatments for these cancers involve enucleation, radiation, excision, laser treatment, cryotherapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. These treatments present a significant burden to the patient that includes a possible loss of vision and a myriad of side effects. Therefore, alternatives to traditional therapy are urgently needed. Intercepting the signaling pathways for these cancers with the use of naturally occurring phytochemicals could be a way to relieve both cancer burden and perhaps even prevent cancer occurrence. This research aims to present a comprehensive review of the signaling pathways involved in various ocular cancers, discuss current therapeutic options, and examine the potential of bioactive phytocompounds in the prevention and targeted treatment of ocular neoplasms. The current limitations, challenges, pitfalls, and future research directions are also discussed.

Molecular insights into artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum: An updated review

Malaria still poses a major burden on human health around the world, especially in endemic areas. Plasmodium resistance to several antimalarial drugs has been one of the major hindrances in control of malaria. Thus, the World Health Organization recommended artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as a front-line treatment for malaria. The emergence of parasites resistant to artemisinin, along with resistant to ACT partner drugs, has led to ACT treatment failure. The artemisinin resistance is mostly related to the mutations in the propeller domain of the kelch13 (k13) gene that encodes protein Kelch13 (K13). The K13 protein has an important role in parasite reaction to oxidative stress. The most widely spread mutation in K13, with the highest degree of resistance, is a C580Y mutation. Other mutations, which are already identified as markers of artemisinin resistance, are R539T, I543T, and Y493H. The objective of this review is to provide current molecular insights into artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. The trending use of artemisinin beyond its antimalarial effect is described. Immediate challenges and future research directions are discussed. Better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying artemisinin resistance will accelerate implementation of scientific findings to solve problems with malarial infection.

PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway-derived risk score exhibits correlation with immune infiltration in uveal melanoma patients

Uveal melanoma (UVM) is a rare but highly aggressive intraocular tumor with a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Recent studies have implicated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in the pathogenesis and progression of UVM. Here, we aimed to explore the potential mechanism of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway-related genes (PRGs) in UVM and develop a novel prognostic-related risk model. Using unsupervised clustering on 14 PRGs profiles, we identified three distinct subtypes with varying immune characteristics. Subtype A demonstrated the worst overall survival and showed higher expression of human leukocyte antigen, immune checkpoints, and immune cell infiltration. Further enrichment analysis revealed that subtype A mainly functioned in inflammatory response, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Differential analysis between different subtypes identified 56 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with the major enrichment pathway of these DEGs associated with PI3K/AKT/mTOR. Based on these DEGs, we developed a consensus machine learning-derived signature (RSF model) that exhibited the best power for predicting prognosis among 76 algorithm combinations. The novel signature demonstrated excellent robustness and predictive ability for the overall survival of patients. Moreover, we observed that patients classified by risk scores had distinguishable immune status and mutation. In conclusion, our study identified a consensus machine learning-derived signature as a potential biomarker for prognostic prediction in UVM patients. Our findings suggest that this signature is correlated with tumor immune infiltration and may serve as a valuable tool for personalized therapy in the clinical setting.

HMGA1 As a Potential Prognostic and Therapeutic Biomarker in Breast Cancer

Background

High-mobility group AT-hook1 (HMGA1) protein plays an important role in various diseases. However, the contribution of HMGA1 in breast cancer remains to be tapped.

Methods

The expression of HMGA1 was analyzed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and TIMER database, and immunohistochemistry was performed in 39 breast cancer (BC) patients. The correlation between HMGA1 expression and prognosis was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier plotter (KM plotter) in patients with breast cancer. Then, cBioPortal and bc-GenExMiner were requisitioned to analyze the contribution of HMGA1 expression to clinical features. In order to reveal the function of HMGA1 in breast cancer cells, enrichment analysis was performed using the clusterProfiler R software package. Moreover, CCK8 assay, EdU assay, and Cell Cycle Assay were performed to assess the proliferation, and transwell assay was used to evaluate cell migration and invasion. Flow cytometry was used to explore the role of HMGA1 on cell apoptosis. After that, the effect of HMGA1 on signaling pathways in BC cells was detected by western blot.

Results

HMGA1 was highly expressed in a variety of tumors tissues, including BC. High HMGA1 expression was correlated with poor prognosis in BC patients. Meanwhile, HMGA1 expression was increased in molecular phenotypes with poor prognosis (ER-, PR-, and HER2+) and associated with high-grade group, lymph node metastasis, and NPI (Nottingham Prognostic Index). Further, function analysis revealed HMGA1 was enriched in DNA replication and cell cycle pathways in breast cancer. Moreover, knockdown of HMGA1 caused apoptosis, inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, in which the oncogenic signaling pathway of PI3K/AKT/MMP9 played a critical role.

Conclusions

HMGA1 was important for breast cancer progression and was a critical prognostic indicator, prompting a potential therapeutic target of breast cancer.

The Impact of Oxidative Stress and AKT Pathway on Cancer Cell Functions and Its Application to Natural Products

Oxidative stress and AKT serine-threonine kinase (AKT) are responsible for regulating several cell functions of cancer cells. Several natural products modulate both oxidative stress and AKT for anticancer effects. However, the impact of natural product-modulating oxidative stress and AKT on cell functions lacks systemic understanding. Notably, the contribution of regulating cell functions by AKT downstream effectors is not yet well integrated. This review explores the role of oxidative stress and AKT pathway (AKT/AKT effectors) on ten cell functions, including apoptosis, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial morphogenesis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, DNA damage response, senescence, migration, and cell-cycle progression. The impact of oxidative stress and AKT are connected to these cell functions through cell function mediators. Moreover, the AKT effectors related to cell functions are integrated. Based on this rationale, natural products with the modulating abilities for oxidative stress and AKT pathway exhibit the potential to regulate these cell functions, but some were rarely reported, particularly for AKT effectors. This review sheds light on understanding the roles of oxidative stress and AKT pathway in regulating cell functions, providing future directions for natural products in cancer treatment.

TRPM4 and TRPV2 are two novel prognostic biomarkers and promising targeted therapy in UVM

Uveal melanoma (UVM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy tumor in adults. Almost 50% of UVM patients develop metastatic disease, and is usually fatal within 1 year. However, the mechanism of etiology remains unclear. The lack of prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers is a main limitation for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels play important roles in the occurrence and development of tumors, which may have the potential as a therapeutic target for UVM. This current study aimed to identify the potential effect and function of the TRPs that could provide survival prediction and new insight into therapy for UVM. Based on the transcriptome data and potential key genes of UVM were screened using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, Gene expression analysis showed the expression of TRPM4, TRPV2 and other TRPs was high levels in UVM. Using survival analysis, we screened out that the high expression of TRPM4 and TRPV2 was negatively correlated with the prognosis of UVM patients. Cox regression analysis and functional enrichment analysis further indicated that TRPM4 and TRPV2 were the most convincing therapeutic targets of UVM, and the majority of genes involved in ferroptosis pathways in UVM showed positively correlated with the expression levels of TRPM4 and TRPV2. In conclusion, TRPM4 and TRPV2 were considered as two novel prognostic biomarkers and a promising targeted therapy in UVM.

Evaluation of the Therapeutic Potential of Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitors for Primary and Metastatic Uveal Melanoma

Patients diagnosed with metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM) have a poor survival prognosis. Unfortunately for this rare disease, there is no known cure and suitable therapeutic options are limited. HDAC6 inhibitors (HDAC6i) are currently in clinical trials for other cancers and show potential beneficial effects against tumor cell survival in vitro and in vivo. In MUM cells, HDAC6i show an anti-proliferative effect in vitro and in preclinical xenograft models. The use of HDAC6 inhibitors as a treatment option for MUM should be explored further. Therefore, this review discusses (1) what is known about HDAC6i in MUM and (2) whether HDAC6 inhibitors offer a potential therapeutic option for MUM.

MITF deficiency and oncogenic GNAQ each promote proliferation programs in zebrafish melanocyte lineage cells

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary malignancy of the adult eye but lacks any FDA‐approved therapy for the deadly metastatic disease. Thus, there is a great need to dissect the driving mechanisms for UM and develop strategies to evaluate potential therapeutics. Using an autochthonous zebrafish model, we previously identified MITF, the master melanocyte transcription factor, as a tumor suppressor in GNAQ^Q209L‐driven UM. Here, we show that zebrafish mitfa‐deficient GNAQ^Q209L‐driven tumors significantly up‐regulate neural crest markers, and that higher expression of a melanoma‐associated neural crest signature correlates with poor UM patient survival. We further determined how the mitfa‐null state, as well as expression of GNAQ^Q209L, YAP^S127A;S381A, or BRAF^V600E oncogenes, impacts melanocyte lineage cells before they acquire the transformed state. Specifically, examination 5 days post‐fertilization showed that mitfa‐deficiency is sufficient to up‐regulate pigment progenitor and neural crest markers, while GNAQ^Q209L expression promotes a proliferative phenotype that is further enhanced by YAP^S127A;S381A co‐expression. Finally, we show that this oncogene‐induced proliferative phenotype can be used to screen chemical inhibitors for their efficacy against the UM pathway. Overall, this study establishes that a neural crest signature correlates with poor UM survival, and describes an in vivo assay for preclinical trials of potential UM therapeutics.