Melanoma Development and Progression Are Associated with Rad6 Upregulation and β-Catenin Relocation to the Cell Membrane

We have previously demonstrated that Rad6 and β-catenin enhance each other's expression through a positive feedback loop to promote breast cancer development/progression. While β-catenin has been implicated in melanoma pathogenesis, Rad6 function has not been investigated. Here, we examined the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Karli Rosner, Darius R. Mehregan, Evangelia Kirou, Judith Abrams, Seongho Kim, Michelle Campbell, Jillian Frieder, Kelsey Lawrence, Brittany Haynes, Malathy P. V. Shekhar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:Journal of Skin Cancer
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/439205
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Summary:We have previously demonstrated that Rad6 and β-catenin enhance each other's expression through a positive feedback loop to promote breast cancer development/progression. While β-catenin has been implicated in melanoma pathogenesis, Rad6 function has not been investigated. Here, we examined the relationship between Rad6 and β-catenin in melanoma development and progression. Eighty-eight cutaneous tumors, 30 nevi, 29 primary melanoma, and 29 metastatic melanomas, were immunostained with anti-β-catenin and anti-Rad6 antibodies. Strong expression of Rad6 was observed in only 27% of nevi as compared to 100% of primary and 96% of metastatic melanomas. β-Catenin was strongly expressed in 97% of primary and 93% of metastatic melanomas, and unlike Rad6, in 93% of nevi. None of the tumors expressed nuclear β-catenin. β-Catenin was exclusively localized on the cell membrane of 55% of primary, 62% of metastatic melanomas, and only 10% of nevi. Cytoplasmic β-catenin was detected in 90% of nevi, 17% of primary, and 8% of metastatic melanoma, whereas 28% of primary and 30% of metastatic melanomas exhibited β-catenin at both locations. These data suggest that melanoma development and progression are associated with Rad6 upregulation and membranous redistribution of β-catenin and that β-catenin and Rad6 play independent roles in melanoma development.
ISSN:2090-2905
2090-2913