Simultaneous suppression of MITF and BRAF V600E enhanced inhibition of melanoma cell proliferation.

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is a master gene regulating differentiation of melanocytes, and a lineage survival oncogene mediating pro-proliferative function in malignant melanoma. However, high expression of MITF also has an anti-proliferative effect. To clarify the therapeutic implication of MITF as a molecular target for human melanoma, we evaluated the role of MITF in cell proliferation in a panel of human melanoma cell lines which express different levels of MITF.