Low-dose anisomycin sensitizes melanoma cells to TRAIL induced apoptosis.

Tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been shown to induce apoptosis in malignant cells while leaving normal cells unharmed, making it a desirable anticancer target. In the present study, metastatic melanoma cell lines were treated with lexatumumab (Human Genome Sciences, Inc.) a high-affinity monoclonal antibody agonistic to TRAIL receptor 2 (DR5).

High expression of Wee1 is associated with poor disease-free survival in malignant melanoma: potential for targeted therapy.

Notoriously resistant malignant melanoma is one of the most increasing forms of cancer worldwide; there is thus a precarious need for new treatment options. The Wee1 kinase is a major regulator of the G(2)/M checkpoint, and halts the cell cycle by adding a negative phosphorylation on CDK1 (Tyr15). Additionally, Wee1 has a function in safeguarding the genome integrity during DNA synthesis.

Synthetic retinoid CD437 induces apoptosis and acts synergistically with TRAIL receptor-2 agonist in malignant melanoma.

The novel synthetic retinoid, CD437, shows potent anti-tumor activity in a range of different cancer cell lines and now serves as a prototype for development of new retinoid related molecules (RRMs). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect and cellular targets of CD437 in the human metastatic melanoma cell lines FEMX-1 and WM239. We showed that treatment with CD437 led to cell cycle arrest and induced apoptosis through both the extrinsic- and intrinsic pathways (caspase 8, -9 and PARP cleavage) in both cell lines.

Cytoplasmic BRMS1 expression in malignant melanoma is associated with increased disease-free survival.

Background/aims: Breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1) blocks metastasis in melanoma xenografts; however, its usefulness as a biomarker in human melanomas has not been widely studied. The goal was to measure BRMS1 expression in benign nevi, primary and metastatic melanomas and evaluate its impact on disease progression and prognosis.

Methods: Paraffin-embedded tissue from 155 primary melanomas, 69 metastases and 15 nevi was examined for BRMS1 expression using immunohistochemistry.

Identification of PaCOL1 and PaCOL2, two CONSTANS-like genes showing decreased transcript levels preceding short day induced growth cessation in Norway spruce.

In woody plants of the temperate zone short photoperiod (SD) leads to growth cessation. In angiosperms CONSTANS (CO) or CO-like genes play an important role in the photoperiodic control of flowering, tuberisation and shoot growth. To investigate the role of CO-like genes in photoperiodic control of shoot elongation in gymnosperms, PaCOL1 and PaCOL2 were isolated from Norway spruce.

The fatty acid binding protein 7 (FABP7) is involved in proliferation and invasion of melanoma cells.

Background: The molecular mechanisms underlying melanoma tumor development and progression are still not completely understood. One of the new candidates that emerged from a recent gene expression profiling study is fatty acid-binding protein 7 (FABP7), involved in lipid metabolism, gene regulation, cell growth and differentiation.

Methods: We studied the functional role of FABP7 in human melanoma cell lines and using immunohistochemistry analyzed its expression pattern and clinical role in 11 nevi, 149 primary melanomas and 68 metastases.