title: Endothelin-3 is produced by metastatic melanoma cells and promotes melanoma cell survival.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endothelin-3 (ET-3) is an essential paracrine factor for the proliferation, migration, and survival of embryonic melanocytes during fetal development. Its expression is tightly regulated, being completely turned off in adult skin.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, results are presented that demonstrate abnormal expression of ET-3 by metastatic melanoma cells in both tissue biopsies and cell culture. Further, in vitro experiments showed that metastatic melanoma cells have the capacity to respond to ET-3 stimulation by increasing survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therefore, an abnormal autocrine stimulation pathway involving ET-3 is present in metastatic melanoma cells. Blocking this signal transduction pathway may prove useful for the treatment of metastatic melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
authors.forename: Liren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Mingwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wency
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinka
authors.forename: Changzheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Youwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D019334:Endothelin-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008544:Melanocytes; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D009506:Nevus / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D019334:Endothelin-3; D012333:RNA, Messenger