title: Dacarbazine inhibits proliferation of melanoma FEMX-1 cells by up-regulating expression of miRNA-200.
abstract: Melanoma is a highly aggressive tumour, and treatment efficacy depends on the stage of the tumour. Early stage cutaneous melanoma is efficiently treated by surgical excision. In contrast, late-stage melanoma requires chemotherapy with dacarbazine (DTIC). Unfortunately, advanced melanoma can often be resistant to DTIC. The mechanisms of anti-melanoma effects of DTIC are still poorly understood, which hinders development of more potent therapies. In this study, we examined the effects of DTIC on growth inhibition of FEMX-1 melanoma cell line, expression of apoptosis-related proteins, and expression of micro (mi)RNA-200 (miRNA-200a, miRNA-200b, miRNA-200c, and miRNA-141).
  
  
  
  DTIC was used at 50 (low dose) or 100 (high dose) mg/ml. Cell growth inhibition was documented by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was quantified by propidium iodide staining and caspase 3-8 activity assay. Expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bim, Bak, BAX, and Bad were documented by Western blot analysis, while expression of miRNA-200 by PCR.
  
  
  
  DTIC dose-dependently inhibited growth of FEMX-1 melanoma cell line, induced cell apoptosis, modulated the levels of apoptosis-related proteins, and up-regulated expression of miRNA-200 family members.
  
  
  
  DTIC inhibits the growth of melanoma cells by up-regulating expression of miRNA-200.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Medicine Science Center, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Area Command, Shenyang, China. yuningchen1991@sina.com.
authors.forename: Y-N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C533896:MIRN200 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D003606:Dacarbazine