Expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 is a hallmark of melanoma, correlates with response to BRAF and MEK inhibition and with proliferation in melanocytic tumors.

Aberrant DNA methylation is an epigenetic hallmark of melanoma and hypomethylating drugs with immunomodulatory activity are currently investigated in clinical trials. DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) is the major maintenance methyltransferase but its expression in melanocytic tumors is unknown. We analyzed DNMT1 expression in primary melanocytes, melanoma cell lines and 83 melanocytic tumors and explored its association with proliferation, mutational status and response to BRAF and MEK inhibition.

Source: American Journal of Pathology - July 13, 2020 Category: Pathology Authors: Maximilian Gassenmaier, Maximilian Rentschler, Birgit Fehrenbacher, Thomas Kurt Eigentler, Kristian Ikenberg, Corinna Kosnopfel, Tobias Sinnberg, Heike Niessner, Hans B ösmüller, Nikolaus Benjamin Wagner, Martin Schaller, Claus Garbe, Martin Röcken Tags: Regular Article Source Type: research