Mutations of PIK3CA are rare in cutaneous melanoma.
Recent studies have shown that the PIK3CA gene, which encodes the p110alpha catalytic subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases, is mutated in human cancers. To determine whether PIK3CA is altered in cutaneous melanoma, we screened a series of 101 melanoma metastases. We identified PIK3CA missense mutations in three metastases (3%). Interestingly, these mutations were observed only in tumours that were negative for NRAS mutations. Using immunohistochemistry, we also analysed our metastases for the expression of phosphorylated Akt. These analyses revealed a moderate to strong phosphorylated Akt expression in 78% (21 of 27) of metastases with NRAS mutations and in 73% (54 of 74) of metastases without NRAS mutations. Interestingly, the three metastases with mutations in PIK3CA all exhibited a strong expression of phosphorylated Akt. Taken together, our results show that PIK3CA is mutated in a minority of melanomas and suggest that mutations in this gene may represent an alternative mechanism of Akt activation in cutaneous melanoma.
Department of Oncology-Pathology, Cancer Centre Karolinska, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Katarina
K
Omholt
Doris
D
Kröckel
Ulrik
U
Ringborg
Johan
J
Hansson
D058534:Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000556:secondary; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D058534:Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; C484760:PIK3CA protein, human; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt