Gene expression profiling has the potential to revolutionize current approaches to cancer classification and diagnosis. Recent cDNA microarray analyses of moles, primary and metastatic melanomas performed in our laboratory have identified a number of genes whose expression level can be used to distinguish between known landmarks in the tumor progression cascade of melanoma. These studies have suggested the utility of gene expression profiling to develop a novel molecular classification of melanocytic neoplasms. In this application, we propose to extend these observations by developing a molecular classification of melanoma using gene expression profiling. We will also assess the utility of immunohistochemical analysis to develop molecular diagnostic and prognostic markers for melanoma.
Our aims are:
Aim 1 : To classify the molecular subtypes of primary melanoma by gene expression profiling of a large cohort of melanoma patients.
Aim 2 : To assess the utility of immunohistochemical analysis of multiple molecular markers to differentiate primary melanomas from benign nevi. We will examine the protein expression of eight markers identified in our cDNA microarray analysis as being differentially expressed in melanomas when compared with nevi in a test set of 350 primary melanomas and 150 nevi, and a validation set of 75 cases of primary melanoma arising in a nevus.
Aim 3 : To assess the utility of immunohistochemical analysis of multiple molecular markers for their ability to predict the prognosis associated with melanoma. We will examine whether eight molecular markers identified in our cDNA microarray analysis as being differentially expressed in metastatic melanomas can predict melanoma prognosis when analyzed at the protein level. We will use immunohistochemical analysis to quantitate expression of these eight markers in a cohort of 353 primary melanomas with defined histology and follow up. Overall, these studies should more precisely characterize the molecular basis of melanoma heterogeneity, and identify novel diagnostic and prognostic markers for primary melanoma.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA122947-03
Application #
7563256
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-ONC-A (02))
Program Officer
Thurin, Magdalena
Project Start
2007-04-04
Project End
2010-01-31
Budget Start
2009-02-01
Budget End
2010-01-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$293,550
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Francisco
Department
Dermatology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
094878337
City
San Francisco
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94143
Dar, Altaf A; Nosrati, Mehdi; Bezrookove, Vladimir et al. (2015) The role of BPTF in melanoma progression and in response to BRAF-targeted therapy. J Natl Cancer Inst 107:
Sun, Vera; Zhou, Wen B; Nosrati, Mehdi et al. (2015) Antitumor activity of miR-1280 in melanoma by regulation of Src. Mol Ther 23:71-8
Bezrookove, Vladimir; De Semir, David; Nosrati, Mehdi et al. (2014) Prognostic impact of PHIP copy number in melanoma: linkage to ulceration. J Invest Dermatol 134:783-790
Sun, V; Zhou, W B; Majid, S et al. (2014) MicroRNA-mediated regulation of melanoma. Br J Dermatol 171:234-41
Dar, Altaf A; Majid, Shahana; Rittsteuer, Claudia et al. (2013) The role of miR-18b in MDM2-p53 pathway signaling and melanoma progression. J Natl Cancer Inst 105:433-42
Kashani-Sabet, Mohammed; Sagebiel, Richard W; Joensuu, Heikki et al. (2013) A patient-centered methodology that improves the accuracy of prognostic predictions in cancer. PLoS One 8:e56435
De Semir, David; Nosrati, Mehdi; Bezrookove, Vladimir et al. (2012) Pleckstrin homology domain-interacting protein (PHIP) as a marker and mediator of melanoma metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:7067-72
Dar, Altaf A; Majid, Shahana; de Semir, David et al. (2011) miRNA-205 suppresses melanoma cell proliferation and induces senescence via regulation of E2F1 protein. J Biol Chem 286:16606-14
DeLisser, Horace; Liu, Yong; Desprez, Pierre-Yves et al. (2010) Vascular endothelial platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) regulates advanced metastatic progression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 107:18616-21
Dar, Altaf A; Majid, Shahana; Nosrati, Mehdi et al. (2010) Functional modulation of IGF-binding protein-3 expression in melanoma. J Invest Dermatol 130:2071-9

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