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Everdell E, Ji Z, Njauw CN, Tsao H. Molecular Analysis of Murine Kit K641E Melanoma Progression. JID Innov 2024; 4:100266. [PMID: 38585193 PMCID: PMC10995915 DOI: 10.1016/j.xjidi.2024.100266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Acral and mucosal melanomas are often driven by sequence variants in the KIT receptor tyrosine kinase, with nearly 40% harboring alterations in the KIT locus. Despite advances in the knowledge of KIT-mutated melanomas, little is known about the molecular reprogramming that occurs during KIT-mediated melanoma progression owing to the rarity of acral and mucosal melanomas and the lack of comprehensive biological tools and models. To this end, we used a murine model that allows us to ascertain the molecular underpinnings of the stages of cancer progression-transformation, tumorigenesis, immune engagement, and tumor escalation. We found dramatic increases in biosynthetic demands associated with the transformation stage, including DNA and RNA metabolism, leading to replication stress. Tumorigenesis was closely linked to neuronal and axonal development, likely necessary for invasion into the host. Immune engagement highlighted early immune excitation and rejection pathways, possibly triggered by abrupt neoantigen exposure. Finally, tumor escalation pathways proved consistent with immune evasion, with immune-related pathways becoming significantly downregulated. To our knowledge, it is previously unreported that these critical milestones needed for KIT-driven melanoma tumor formation have been studied at the molecular level using isogenically matched and phenotypically defined cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Everdell
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zhenyu Ji
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ching-Ni Njauw
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hensin Tsao
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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