title: Overexpression of the progestagen-associated endometrial protein gene is associated with microphthalmia-associated transcription factor in human melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We recently reported that the progestagen-associated endometrial protein (PAEP) gene is overexpressed and promotes tumor proliferation and metastasis in human melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  To identify the molecules that regulate its expression and oncogenic properties, we analyzed the gene microarray profiling of melanoma samples of serial clinical stage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the expression profile of the PAEP gene parallels that of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF, r  =  0.86), a master regulator of melanocyte development and melanoma progression. This parallelism was further confirmed with semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis of melanoma-derived daughter cells. Transfection of melanoma cells with MITF small interfering RNA (siRNA) specifically diminishes PAEP gene expression, whereas PAEP siRNA transfection has no effect on MITF. Furthermore, knockdown of either the MITF or PAEP gene reveals a significant inhibition of tumor cell migration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that PAEP expression is regulated in part by MITF and may thus play a role in MITF-mediated cell migration in human melanoma.
authors.forename: Suping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jiexi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Minxia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guobo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Adam I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Riker