Dependence of the microRNA profile in cutaneous melanoma on clinical and morphological characteristics of the tumor

Abstract

Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer that is characterized by rapid growth and high invasion. Today extensive studies of melanomagenesis allow to subdivide this tumor into subtypes in accordance to molecular, genetic and biochemical characteristics in addition to standard histological classification for developing personalized approaches of treatment. One ofsuch molecular peculiarities is the expression profile of microRNAs in tumor cells alterations of which were shown during tumor progression. The aim of this study was to identify the correlation between the levels ofmicroRNA in melanoma cells, and the clinical and morphological characteristics of the disease. The comparative study of microRNAs expression profiles in melanoma is made by gender, age ofpatients, tumor Breslow’s thickness and histological subtypes. It was shown that the gender and age ofpatients have no effect on the expression of microRNA in melanoma. No correlation between the microRNA levels and tumor Breslow’s thickness was revealed. But it was observed a significant alteration between the microRNA profiles in the different histological melanoma subtypes. The significant change in the profile of microRNAs for superficial-spreading melanomas compared to other subtypes was shown that was associated with the processes of tumors development, as well as ErbB-, MAPK-, TGF-β-signaling pathways. Further study of the molecularfeatures of the superficial-spreading melanoma in combination with other characteristics might be a new step towards personalized medicine.

Keywords

melanoma / microRNA / histological subtype

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Eco-Vector