title: ER stress-induced autophagy in melanoma.
abstract: The activation of RAF-MEK-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade by v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF)(V600E) mutation is a key alteration in melanoma. Although BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi) has achieved remarkable clinical success, the positive response to BRAFi is not sustainable, and the initial clinical benefit is eventually barred by the development of resistance to BRAFi. There is growing evidence to suggest that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced autophagy could be a potential pro-survival mechanism that contributes to genesis of melanoma and to the resistance to BRAFi. ER stress-induced autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved membrane process. By degrading and recycling proteins and organelles via the formation of autophagous vesicles and their fusion with lysosomes, the autophagy plays a key role in homeostasis as well as pathological processes. In this review, we examine the autophagy phenomenon in melanocytic nevus, primary and metastatic melanoma, and its significance in BRAFi-resistant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xiao
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Endocrinology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Mu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Xu Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Xi
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Endocrinology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Qihan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: BRAFi resistant melanoma; ER stress; autophagy; melanocytic nevus; primary and metastatic melanoma