DLC1 expression is reduced in human cutaneous melanoma and correlates with patient survival.

Deleted in Liver Cancer-1 (DLC1) is a Rho-GTPase-activating protein known to be downregulated and function as a tumor suppressor in numerous solid and hematological cancers. Its expression status in melanoma is currently unknown however, prompting us to examine this. Using immunohistochemistry and tissue microarrays containing a large set of melanocytic lesions (n=539), we examined the expression profile of DLC1 in melanoma progression, as well as the association between DLC1 and patient survival.

C-terminal tensin-like protein is a novel prognostic marker for primary melanoma patients.

Background: C-terminal tensin-like protein (Cten) is a focal adhesion protein originally identified as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer. It has since been found to be overexpressed and function as an oncogene in numerous other cancers, but the expression status of Cten in melanoma is still unknown.

Methods: Using tissue microarrays containing 562 melanocytic lesions, we evaluated Cten protein expression by immunohistochemistry.

Decreased expression of nuclear p300 is associated with disease progression and worse prognosis of melanoma patients.

Background: Genomic instability due to UV radiation is one of the leading causes for melanoma. Histone acetyltransferase p300 plays an indispensible role in DNA repair and maintenance of genomic integrity. The present study was performed to analyze the correlation between p300 expression, melanoma progression and patient survival.

Expression of the RNase III enzyme DROSHA is reduced during progression of human cutaneous melanoma.

Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their biogenesis factors has been frequently observed in different types of cancer. We recently reported that expression of DICER1 is reduced in metastatic melanoma. Nevertheless, so far very little is known about the expression pattern of other miRNA biogenesis factors in this type of malignancy.