Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells
06:09

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells

Published on: June 7, 2019

Breast cancer suppressor candidate-1 (BCSC-1) is a melanoma tumor suppressor that down regulates MITF

Silvia I Anghel1, Rafael Correa-Rocha, Rafael Correa-Rochal

  • 1Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospitals and Medical School of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research
|May 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Breast cancer suppressor candidate-1 (BCSC-1) is a novel tumor suppressor in metastatic melanoma. Its reduced expression promotes melanoma progression by downregulating MITF, switching cells to a migratory phenotype.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Metastatic melanoma (MM) progression involves complex molecular aberrations.
  • Identifying novel therapeutic targets is crucial for improving diagnosis and treatment.
  • Tumor suppressors play a key role in regulating cancer cell behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify novel molecular players involved in metastatic melanoma.
  • To investigate the role of breast cancer suppressor candidate-1 (BCSC-1) in melanoma.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which BCSC-1 affects melanoma cell phenotype.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of BCSC-1 expression in human melanoma samples.
  • Ectopic expression of BCSC-1 in melanoma cell lines.
  • In vivo tumor formation assays and in vitro proliferation assays.
  • Investigation of BCSC-1 interaction with Sox10 and MITF.

Main Results:

  • BCSC-1 expression is significantly decreased in human metastatic melanoma.
  • Ectopic BCSC-1 expression inhibited tumor formation in vivo and proliferation in vitro.
  • BCSC-1 overexpression led to increased melanoma cell migration.
  • BCSC-1 was found to bind to Sox10, leading to downregulation of MITF.

Conclusions:

  • BCSC-1 functions as a tumor suppressor in melanoma.
  • BCSC-1 regulates melanoma cell phenotype by modulating the MITF pathway via Sox10.
  • BCSC-1 represents a potential therapeutic target for metastatic melanoma.

More Related Videos

Screening for Melanoma Modifiers using a Zebrafish Autochthonous Tumor Model10:23

Screening for Melanoma Modifiers using a Zebrafish Autochthonous Tumor Model

Published on: November 13, 2012

Silencing of BRCA2 to Identify Novel BRCA2-regulated Biological Functions in Cultured Human Cells09:24

Silencing of BRCA2 to Identify Novel BRCA2-regulated Biological Functions in Cultured Human Cells

Published on: August 12, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions01:12

Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...