title: Dickkopf-1 inhibits the invasive activity of melanoma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant melanoma (MM) has the highest morbidity of any malignant tumour. It is known that the Wnt pathway of enhances the development of melanoma. Dickkopf (DKK)-1, an inhibitor of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway, might also inhibit the development of MM.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the influence of DKK-1 expression on the invasive activity of MM cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  To detect DKK-1 expression level we performed immunohistochemistry on human tissue sections of normal skin, malignant melanoma (MM) in situ, and MM with lymph-node metastasis. To clarify the role that DDK-1 plays in the invasive activity of MM cells, we performed a scratch-wound healing assay and Transwell invasion assay for A375 cells infected with appropriate recombinant adenoviruses, then assessed the migration of these cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fewer DDK1-overexpressing A375 cells than control cells migrated to the scratch-wound area or through the pores of the Transwell membrane to the lower wells. Downregulation of DKK-1 in A375 cells had the opposite effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, we found for the first time that DKK-1 expression inhibits the invasive activity of MM cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: C501126:DKK1 protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins