A high-throughput study in melanoma identifies epithelial-mesenchymal transition as a major determinant of metastasis.
Metastatic disease is the primary cause of death in cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) patients. To understand the mechanisms of CMM metastasis and identify potential predictive markers, we analyzed gene-expression profiles of 34 vertical growth phase melanoma cases using cDNA microarrays. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 36 months. Twenty-one cases developed nodal metastatic disease and 13 did not. Comparison of gene expression profiling of metastatic and nonmetastatic melanoma cases identified 243 genes with a >2-fold differential expression ratio and a false discovery rate of <0.2 (206 up-regulated and 37 down-regulated). This set of genes included molecules involved in cell cycle and apoptosis regulation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), signal transduction, nucleic acid binding and transcription, protein synthesis and degradation, metabolism, and a specific group of melanoma- and neural-related proteins. Validation of these expression data in an independent series of melanomas using tissue microarrays confirmed that the expression of a set of proteins included in the EMT group (N-cadherin, osteopontin, and SPARC/osteonectin) were significantly associated with metastasis development. Our results suggest that EMT-related genes contribute to the promotion of the metastatic phenotype in primary CMM by supporting specific adhesive, invasive, and migratory properties. These data give a better understanding of the biology of this aggressive tumor and may provide new prognostic and patient stratification markers in addition to potential therapeutic targets.
Alonso
Soledad R
SR
Molecular Pathology Programme and Histology and Immunohistochemistry Unit, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
Tracey
Lorraine
L
Ortiz
Pablo
P
Pérez-Gómez
Beatriz
B
Palacios
José
J
Pollán
Marina
M
Linares
Juan
J
Serrano
Salvio
S
Sáez-Castillo
Ana I
AI
Sánchez
Lydia
L
Pajares
Raquel
R
Sánchez-Aguilera
Abel
A
Artiga
Maria J
MJ
Piris
Miguel A
MA
Rodríguez-Peralto
José L
JL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary*