title: Gene expression signature for spontaneous cancer regression in melanoma pigs.
abstract: Incomplete spontaneous regression of melanoma is common. However, complete melanoma regression is still a very rare phenomenon. Because melanoma is the most immunogenic human malignancy, the mechanisms leading to regression, based on accumulative evidence, are the host's immune responses. Unfortunately, therapies aiming to enhance the patient's natural immunity against melanoma have yet to meet their expectations. Reasons for failure include various immune escape mechanisms, induced by the tumor, that subsequently lead to tolerance. Here, we performed time-dependent gene expression profiling to unravel molecular changes involved in the transition of progressive melanoma to complete tumor regression using a porcine model. The melanoblastomabearing Libechov minipigs are highly suitable for this study because these animals exhibit naturally occurring and regressing melanomas. We were able to identify a molecular signature of the melanoma regression process. Genes regulated in this signature were associated with 1) cell cycle, 2) immune response, and 3) melanocyte differentiation. These genes may shed light on molecular mechanisms involved in complete melanoma regression and indicate what improvements are needed for successful antimelanoma therapy.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR 314, Laboratoire de Radiobiologie et d'Etude du Génome, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France. florian.rambow@jouy.inra.fr
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rambow
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piton
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bouet
authors.forename: Jean-Jaques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Leplat
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baulande
authors.forename: Angelique
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marrau
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stam
authors.forename: Vratislav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Horak
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vincent-Naulleau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous / Q000235:genetics*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors