In our 2004-2009 SPORE, we, studied the prognosfic significance of iriducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) protein levels in both primary and metastatic melanoma, as well as the geneficand pharmacologic regulafion of its constitutive expression. The results confirmed that iNOS protein is readily detectable in melanoma cell cytoplasm in the majority of patients, and the quanfity, as detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), provides prognostic information by identifying piatients with poor survival in bPth univariate and mulfivariate analysis (p<0.001), independently of AJCC staging and associated prognosfic criteria. Melanomas are recognized to be heterogeneous based on efiology and somafic mutafional status and have aberrant expression of inflammatory genes and proteins.
We aim to expand the tesfing of INOS protein expression as a clinically useful prognosfic marker and propose that INOS repi^esents a """"""""node"""""""" of an identifiable melanoma inflammatory and oxidafive stress network. We further hypothesize that a """"""""signature of poor prognosis"""""""" for melanoma can be gerieratedby directly tesfing tumors for expression of INOS-related inflammatory markers. Testing for associafion of iNOS protein expression and levels with both geriefic alterations (mutations of BRAF and A/RAS) arid mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway acfivafion was also performed in a large series of primary cutaneous tumor biopsies. We report that acfive MAPK can drive iNOS expression and that inhibition of MAPK arid/or 6/?AF inhibits INOS protein expression. iNOS protein in melanoma was also found to be sensifive to down regulation by pharmacologic agents, possibly fpr therapeutic advantage. Pharmacologic inhibifion of INOS or inhibifion of its product, nitric oxide (NO), restores chemosensitivity in iNOS-posifive melanoma cell lines. Building on these results, three new specific aims are now proposed: 1) identify iNOS-related inflammatory nnarker genes expressed in melanoma, as part of a proposed signature 2) determine which candidate marker proteins can be identified in melanoma tumors by standard immunohistochemistry and whether their presence iadds value to the INOS survival prediction model, and 3) test the inflammatory stress pathway as a target for melanonia patient therapy in a Phase l/ll trial using an anti-inflarnmatory drug that inhibits expression of INOS and other inflammatory mediators.

Public Health Relevance

Development of markers predicfing patient survival and identifyirig targets for therapy are high priorifies fpr melanoma translational research.. This renewal project addresses both priorities by analyzing an altered pattern of inflamrriation in melanoma, particulariy that resulting from inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Specialized Center (P50)
Project #
5P50CA093459-10
Application #
8728573
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZCA1-RPRB-M)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2014-09-01
Budget End
2015-08-31
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
$146,381
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
800772139
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
(2018) Genome-wide association analyses identify 44 risk variants and refine the genetic architecture of major depression. Nat Genet 50:668-681
Shah, Maitri Y; Ferracin, Manuela; Pileczki, Valentina et al. (2018) Cancer-associated rs6983267 SNP and its accompanying long noncoding RNA CCAT2 induce myeloid malignancies via unique SNP-specific RNA mutations. Genome Res 28:432-447
Huckins, L M; Hatzikotoulas, K; Southam, L et al. (2018) Investigation of common, low-frequency and rare genome-wide variation in anorexia nervosa. Mol Psychiatry 23:1169-1180
Kim, Sun-Hee; Roszik, Jason; Cho, Sung-Nam et al. (2018) The COX2 effector microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 is a regulator of immunosuppression in cutaneous melanoma. Clin Cancer Res :
Zhang, Tongwu; Choi, Jiyeon; Kovacs, Michael A et al. (2018) Cell-type-specific eQTL of primary melanocytes facilitates identification of melanoma susceptibility genes. Genome Res 28:1621-1635
Velazquez-Torres, Guermarie; Shoshan, Einav; Ivan, Cristina et al. (2018) A-to-I miR-378a-3p editing can prevent melanoma progression via regulation of PARVA expression. Nat Commun 9:461
Cascone, Tina; McKenzie, Jodi A; Mbofung, Rina M et al. (2018) Increased Tumor Glycolysis Characterizes Immune Resistance to Adoptive T Cell Therapy. Cell Metab 27:977-987.e4
Li, Bo; Wang, Yanru; Xu, Yinghui et al. (2018) Genetic variants in RORA and DNMT1 associated with cutaneous melanoma survival. Int J Cancer 142:2303-2312
Teerlink, Craig C; Huff, Chad; Stevens, Jeff et al. (2018) A Nonsynonymous Variant in the GOLM1 Gene in Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma. J Natl Cancer Inst :
Bezrookove, Vladimir; Nosrati, Mehdi; Miller 3rd, James R et al. (2018) Role of Elevated PHIP Copy Number as a Prognostic and Progression Marker for Cutaneous Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 24:4119-4125

Showing the most recent 10 out of 290 publications