In vitro transformation of human congenital naevus to malignant melanoma

The incidence of melanoma is estimated to be growing at the second fastest rate among all cancers in the United States. The progression of the melanocyte to a malignant melanoma involves various sequential steps: development of benign naevocellular naevus, preneoplastic dysplastic naevus, primary me...

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Published inMelanoma research Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 27
Main Authors Mehta, R R, Bratescu, L, Graves, J M, Shilkaitis, A, Green, A, Mehta, R G, Das Gupta, T K
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.02.2002
Subjects
Animals
Cell Line
Cell Line, Transformed
Female
G(M2) Ganglioside - biosynthesis
G(M3) Ganglioside - biosynthesis
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Infant
Karyotyping
Melanoma - metabolism
Melanoma - pathology
Mice
Mice, Nude
Neoplasm Transplantation
Nevus - congenital
Transformation, Genetic
Ultraviolet Rays
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Summary:The incidence of melanoma is estimated to be growing at the second fastest rate among all cancers in the United States. The progression of the melanocyte to a malignant melanoma involves various sequential steps: development of benign naevocellular naevus, preneoplastic dysplastic naevus, primary melanoma, and metastatic melanoma. Despite these clearly defined stages, very little is known about the molecular events leading to melanoma progression. We established a human congenital naevus cell line (UISO-CMN-1). UISO-CMN-1 cells were confirmed to have melanocytic origin by S100 immunoreactivity and the presence of melanin granules and melanosomes. UISO-CMN-1 cells, even though they showed structural and numerical abnormalities in karyotype, were non-tumorigenic when transplanted into athymic mice. However, following frequent exposure to ultraviolet C radiation, UISO-CMN-1 cells acquired tumorigenic potential. Transformation of UISO-CMN-1 cells into tumorigenic cells was accompanied by induction of ganglioside-2 expression without any significant changes in cellular ganglioside-3. These transformed and non-transformed UISO-CMN-1 cell lines can serve as excellent research tools for studying the molecular changes associated with melanoma development and progression, and for identifying agents that might prevent development of malignant melanoma.
ISSN:0960-8931
DOI:10.1097/00008390-200202000-00005