High SLC7A11 expression in normal skin of melanoma patients.
Cancer Epidemiol
; 62: 101582, 2019 10.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31419780
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Melanoma is one of the highest metastatic cancers and its incidence is rapidly increasing. A great effort has been devoted to determine gene mutations and expression profiles in melanoma cells, but less attention has been given to the possible influence of melanin synthesis in melanocytes on melanomagenesis. SLC7A11 encodes the cystine/glutamate antiporter xCT and its expression increases the antioxidant capacity of cells by providing cysteine that may be used for glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Melanocytes, however, can also use cysteine for pheomelanin synthesis and pigmentation. Therefore, pheomelanin synthesis may lead to chronic oxidative stress. Possible consequences of this for melanomagenesis have never been explored.METHODS:
We quantified the expression of SLC7A11 and other genes that are involved in the synthesis of pheomelanin but do not regulate the transport of cysteine from the extracellular medium to the cytosol (CTNS, MC1R, ASIP and SLC45A2) in non-tumorous skin of 45 patients of cutaneous melanoma and 50 healthy individuals. We controlled for the effects of Fitzpatrick skin type, age, gender, body mass, frequency of sun exposure and sunburns and number of melanocytic nevi, as well as for the intrinsic antioxidant capacity as given by the expression of the gene NFE2L2.RESULTS:
The expression of SLC7A11, but not of the other genes, was significantly higher in melanoma patients than in healthy individuals. This was independent of phenotypic factors and antioxidant capacity, thus supporting an effect of pheomelanin-induced oxidative stress on melanomagenesis.CONCLUSION:
Our findings indicate that SLC7A11 downregulation in normal epidermal melanocytes may represent a preventive treatment against melanoma.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Neoplasias Cutáneas
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Sistema de Transporte de Aminoácidos y/
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Melanoma
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Aged80
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
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Pregnancy
Idioma:
En
Año:
2019
Tipo del documento:
Article