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Updated: Sep 1, 2026
Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells
Published on: June 7, 2019
Further evidence to support the melanocytic origin of MDA-MB-435
G Ellison1, T Klinowska, R F R Westwood
1AstraZeneca, Mereside, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, SK10 4TG, UK. gillian.ellison@aztrazeneca.com
Background/Aims:
Until recently, the cell line MDA-MB-435 was widely accepted as originating from a breast cancer. However, microarray derived data have suggested that this cell line may in fact originate from an occult melanoma. This study was designed to investigate this hypothesis further.
Methods:
Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate the tissue of origin of two sublines of MDA-MB-435 (MDA-MB-435 S and MDA-MB-435 HGF). The expression of a panel of genes typical of breast cells or melanocytes was analysed.
Results:
The MDA-MD-435 cell lines expressed none of the genes characteristic of breast cancer cells but did express several genes commonly expressed by melanocytes.
Conclusions:
These results strongly suggest that MDA-MB-435 is indeed of melanoma origin.
