ABCB1 identifies a subpopulation of uveal melanoma cells with high metastatic propensity
- 25 February 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research
- Vol. 24 (3), 430-437
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-148x.2011.00841.x
Abstract
Metastasis of tumor cells to distant organs is the leading cause of death in melanoma. Yet, the mechanisms of metastasis remain poorly understood. One key question is whether all cells in a primary tumor are equally likely to metastasize or whether subpopulations of cells preferentially give rise to metastases. Here, we identified a subpopulation of uveal melanoma cells expressing the multidrug resistance transporter ABCB1 that are highly metastatic compared to ABCB1− bulk tumor cells. ABCB1+ cells also exhibited enhanced clonogenicity, anchorage‐independent growth, tumorigenicity and mitochondrial activity compared to ABCB1− cells. A375 cutaneous melanoma cells contained a similar subpopulation of highly metastatic ABCB1+ cells. These findings suggest that some uveal melanoma cells have greater potential for metastasis than others and that a better understanding of such cells may be necessary for more successful therapies for metastatic melanoma.Keywords
This publication has 26 references indexed in Scilit:
- Frequent Mutation of BAP1 in Metastasizing Uveal MelanomasScience, 2010
- Selection of Tumorigenic Melanoma Cells Using ALDHJournal of Investigative Dermatology, 2010
- Phenotypic Heterogeneity among Tumorigenic Melanoma Cells from Patients that Is Reversible and Not Hierarchically OrganizedCancer Cell, 2010
- Tenascin-C promotes melanoma progression by maintaining the ABCB5-positive side populationOncogene, 2010
- Human melanoma-initiating cells express neural crest nerve growth factor receptor CD271Nature, 2010
- A Temporarily Distinct Subpopulation of Slow-Cycling Melanoma Cells Is Required for Continuous Tumor GrowthCell, 2010
- Melanoma‐initiating cells: a compass neededEMBO Reports, 2009
- The Stem Cell-Associated Antigen CD133 (Prominin-1) Is a Molecular Therapeutic Target for Metastatic MelanomaThe International Journal of Cell Cloning, 2008
- Identification of cells initiating human melanomasNature, 2008
- Identification of uPAR-positive Chemoresistant Cells in Small Cell Lung CancerPLOS ONE, 2007