David Schrama, Gunhild Keller, Roland Houben, Christian G Ziegler, Claudia S Vetter-Kauczok, Selma Ugurel, Jurgen C Becker
Department of Dermatology, Julius-Maximilians University, Würzburg, Germany
DOI: 10.1186/1477-3163-7-1
ABSTRACT
Bachground: Activating BRAF mutations are present in approximately 50% of melanomas. Although different downstream target genes of the most common mutant V600E have been identified, the contribution of activating BRAF mutations to malignant transformation needs further clarification.
Methods: Microarray gene analysis was performed for human melanoma cell lines harboring BRAF V600E mutations in comparison to cell lines without this mutation.
Results: This analysis revealed a more than two fold down-regulation of 43 and an increase of 39 gene products. BAALC ( Brain and acute Leukaemia, cytoplasmatic ) was most prominently regulated, since it was up-regulated in mutated cell lines by a mean of 11.45. Real time PCR analyses with RNA from melanoma cell lines (n = 30) confirmed the BRAF -activation dependent up-regulation of BAALC .
Conclusion: BAALC , which has been associated with cell dedifferentiation and migration, may function as a downstream effector of activating BRAF mutations during melanomagenesis.