Project description:This study examined whole genome sequencing, RNAseq and methylation data for melanoma subtypes. Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadChip array analysis of 144 melanoma tumors was carried out as part of the study.
Project description:A substantial part of cutaneous malignant melanomas develops from benign nevi. However, the precise molecular events driving the transformation from benign to malignant melanoma are not well understood. We used laser microdissection and mass spectrometry to analyze the proteomes of melanoma subtypes, including superficial spreading melanomas (SSM, n=17), nodular melanomas (NM, n=17), and acral melanomas (AM, n=15). Furthermore, we compared the proteomes of nevi cells and melanoma cells within the same specimens (nevus-associated melanoma (NAM, n=14)). In total, we quantified 7,935 proteins. Despite the genomic and clinical differences of the melanoma subtypes, our analysis revealed relatively similar proteomes, except for the upregulation of proteins involved in immune activation in NM vs AM. Examining NAM versus nevi, we found 1,725 differentially expressed proteins. Among these proteins were 140 that overlapped with cancer hallmarks, tumor suppressors, and regulators of metabolism and cell cycle. Pathway analysis indicated aberrant activation of the RAS/MAPK and PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathways, as well as the Hippo-YAP pathway. Using a classifier, we identified six proteins capable of distinguishing melanoma from nevi samples. Our study represents the first comprehensive comparative analysis of the proteome in melanoma subtypes and associated nevi, offering new insights into the biological behavior of these distinct entities.
Project description:An incomplete view of the (epi)genetic events that drive melanoma initiation and progression has been a major barrier to rational development of effective therapeutics and prognostic diagnostics for melanoma patients. Recent approaches that integrate human melanoma genomic and transcriptomic data provide unprecedented opportunities to discover oncogenic melanoma drivers. One limitation, however, is that human melanoma genome exhibits a radically altered cytogenetic profile. Hence there is a need for biologically-meaningful approaches to identify and validate lesions that drive melanomagenesis. We combined comparative oncogenomic approaches with mouse modeling to identify new cancer genes/pathways that drive melanoma progression. Spontaneously acquired genetic alterations such as copy-number alterations and specific mutations in mouse tumors of defined genetic origin were identified and used to prioritize relevant lesions from the complex human melanoma genomes. This integrated effort confirmed the importance of several genes and pathways previously implicated in melanoma and identified new putative melanoma tumor suppressor genes. Genetic ablation of one such gene, Fes, cooperated with BRafv600E to accelerate melanomagenesis in mice. This comparative oncogenomic approach has therefore helped discover a series of novel melanoma tumor suppressor genes, including FES, with prognostic and therapeutic relevance in human melanoma.
Project description:An incomplete view of the (epi)genetic events that drive melanoma initiation and progression has been a major barrier to rational development of effective therapeutics and prognostic diagnostics for melanoma patients. Recent approaches that integrate human melanoma genomic and transcriptomic data provide unprecedented opportunities to discover oncogenic melanoma drivers. One limitation, however, is that human melanoma genome exhibits a radically altered cytogenetic profile. Hence there is a need for biologically-meaningful approaches to identify and validate lesions that drive melanomagenesis. We combined comparative oncogenomic approaches with mouse modeling to identify new cancer genes/pathways that drive melanoma progression. Spontaneously acquired genetic alterations such as copy-number alterations and specific mutations in mouse tumors of defined genetic origin were identified and used to prioritize relevant lesions from the complex human melanoma genomes. This integrated effort confirmed the importance of several genes and pathways previously implicated in melanoma and identified new putative melanoma tumor suppressor genes. Genetic ablation of one such gene, Fes, cooperated with BRafv600E to accelerate melanomagenesis in mice. This comparative oncogenomic approach has therefore helped discover a series of novel melanoma tumor suppressor genes, including FES, with prognostic and therapeutic relevance in human melanoma.
Project description:An incomplete view of the (epi)genetic events that drive melanoma initiation and progression has been a major barrier to rational development of effective therapeutics and prognostic diagnostics for melanoma patients. Recent approaches that integrate human melanoma genomic and transcriptomic data provide unprecedented opportunities to discover oncogenic melanoma drivers. One limitation, however, is that human melanoma genome exhibits a radically altered cytogenetic profile. Hence there is a need for biologically-meaningful approaches to identify and validate lesions that drive melanomagenesis. We combined comparative oncogenomic approaches with mouse modeling to identify new cancer genes/pathways that drive melanoma progression. Spontaneously acquired genetic alterations such as copy-number alterations and specific mutations in mouse tumors of defined genetic origin were identified and used to prioritize relevant lesions from the complex human melanoma genomes. This integrated effort confirmed the importance of several genes and pathways previously implicated in melanoma and identified new putative melanoma tumor suppressor genes. Genetic ablation of one such gene, Fes, cooperated with BRafv600E to accelerate melanomagenesis in mice. This comparative oncogenomic approach has therefore helped discover a series of novel melanoma tumor suppressor genes, including FES, with prognostic and therapeutic relevance in human melanoma.
Project description:Melanoma is a cancer of melanocytes, with multiple subtypes based on body site location. Cutaneous melanoma is associated with skin exposed to ultraviolet radiation; uveal melanoma occurs in the eyes; mucosal melanoma occurs in internal mucous membranes; and acral melanoma occurs on the palms, soles, and nail beds. Here, we present the largest whole-genome sequencing study of melanoma to date, with 570 tumors profiled, as well as methylation and RNA sequencing for subsets of tumors. Uveal melanoma is genomically distinct from other melanoma subtypes, harboring the lowest tumor mutation burden and with significantly mutated genes in the G-protein signaling pathway. Most cutaneous, acral, and mucosal melanomas share alterations in components of the MAPK, PI3K, p53, p16, and telomere pathways. However, the mechanism by which these pathways are activated or inactivated varies between melanoma subtypes. Additionally, we identify potential novel germline predisposition genes for some of the less common melanoma subtypes.SignificanceThis is the largest whole-genome analysis of melanoma to date, comprehensively comparing the genomics of the four major melanoma subtypes. This study highlights both similarities and differences between the subtypes, providing insights into the etiology and biology of melanoma. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 2711.