FMNL2/FMNL3 formins are linked with oncogenic pathways and predict melanoma outcome

While most early (stage I-II) melanomas are cured by surgery, recurrence is not uncommon. Prognostication by current clinicopathological parameters does not provide sufficient means for identifying patients who are at risk of developing metastases and in need of adjuvant therapy. Actin-regulating formins may account for invasive properties of cancer cells, including melanoma. Here, we studied formin-like protein 2 and 3 (FMNL2 and FMNL3) in melanoma by analysing their role in the invasive properties of melanoma cells and by evaluating whether FMNL2 expression is associated with melanoma outcome. Immunohistochemical characterization of FMNL2 in a cohort of 175 primary cutaneous stage I-II melanomas indicated that high FMNL2 reactivity correlates with poor outcome as evaluated by recurrence free survival (p < 0.0001) or disease specific survival (p < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, Breslow's thickness (p < 0.05) and FMNL2 expression (p < 0.001) remained as independent prognostic factors. Cellular studies revealed that FMNL2 is a component of filopodia in many melanoma cell lines. Inhibition of either FMNL2 or the closely related FMNL3 affected the maintenance of melanoma cell morphology and reduced migration. Finally, inhibition of the BRAF, PI3K and MAPK oncogenic pathways markedly reduced expression of both FMNL2 and FMNL3 in melanoma cells. The results suggest a major role for FMNL2/FMNL3 formins in melanoma biology and raise the possibility that the novel targeted melanoma drugs may interfere with the cellular properties regulated by these formins.