title: Identification of a novel gelsolin truncate in the vertical and metastatic phase malignant melanomas.
abstract: Examination of 38 human melanoma samples by Western blotting analysis with anti-gelsolin antibodies showed that a new 85 kDa truncated gelsolin (GSNp85), co-expressed with wild-type gelsolin, was frequently expressed in vertical growth phase melanomas (Clark level II-IV) and metastatic growth phase melanomas. The GSNp85 truncate was not expressed in radial growth phase melanomas (Clark level I), acquired naevi, other skin cancers or normal skin tissues. Peptide-sequencing analysis revealed that GSNp85 lacks the C-terminal domain of wild-type gelsolin at the region containing the caspase-8 recognition site IETD. Caspase-8 processing was detected in GSNp85-positive but not GSNp85-negative melanomas. These data suggest that GSNp85 is a cleavage product of caspase-8 and may be useful as a new marker for the vertical or metastatic growth phase of malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Gene Regulation, Research Section of Disease Control, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kokubu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chodon
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugihara
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuzumaki
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D018260:Gelsolin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D008643:Mesentery / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018260:Gelsolin; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases