Intercellular crosstalk in human malignant melanoma.
Incidence of malignant melanoma is increasing globally. While the initial stages of tumors can be easily treated by a simple surgery, the therapy of advanced stages is rather limited. Melanoma cells spread rapidly through the body of a patient to form multiple metastases. Consequently, the survival rate is poor. Therefore, emphasis in melanoma research is given on early diagnosis and development of novel and more potent therapeutic options. The malignant melanoma is arising from melanocytes, cells protecting mitotically active keratinocytes against damage caused by UV light irradiation. The melanocytes originate in the neural crest and consequently migrate to the epidermis. The relationship between the melanoma cells, the melanocytes, and neural crest stem cells manifests when the melanoma cells are implanted to an early embryo: they use similar migratory routes as the normal neural crest cells. Moreover, malignant potential of these melanoma cells is overdriven in this experimental model, probably due to microenvironmental reprogramming. This observation demonstrates the crucial role of the microenvironment in melanoma biology. Indeed, malignant tumors in general represent complex ecosystems, where multiple cell types influence the growth of genetically mutated cancer cells. This concept is directly applicable to the malignant melanoma. Our review article focuses on possible strategies to modify the intercellular crosstalk in melanoma that can be employed for therapeutic purposes.
Institute of Anatomy, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, U Nemocnice 3, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.|BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic.
Barbora
B
Dvořánková
Institute of Anatomy, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, U Nemocnice 3, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.|BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic.
Pavol
P
Szabo
Institute of Anatomy, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, U Nemocnice 3, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.|BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic.|Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine and General University Hospital in Prague, U Nemocnice 2, 128 08, Prague, Czech Republic.
Ondřej
O
Kodet
Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic.
Hynek
H
Strnad
Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic.
Michal
M
Kolář
Institute of Anatomy, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, U Nemocnice 3, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.|Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine and General University Hospital in Prague, U Nemocnice 2, 128 08, Prague, Czech Republic.
Lukáš
L
Lacina
Institute of Anatomy, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, U Nemocnice 3, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
Eliška
E
Krejčí
Institute of Anatomy, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, U Nemocnice 3, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
Ondřej
O
Naňka
Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, U Nemocnice 5, 128 53, Prague, Czech Republic.
Aleksi
A
Šedo
Institute of Anatomy, Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, U Nemocnice 3, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic. karel.smetana@lf1.cuni.cz.|BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic. karel.smetana@lf1.cuni.cz.
Karel
K
Smetana
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015603:Keratinocytes; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000502:physiology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000077484:Vemurafenib; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077484:Vemurafenib
Cancer-associated fibroblast; Cytokine; Keratinocyte; Melanocyte; Melanoma cells; Melanoma ecosystem