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Melanoma development and pigment cell transformation in xiphophorus
Author(s) -
Wellbrock Claudia,
Gómez Ana,
Schartl Manfred
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.10163
Subject(s) - xiphophorus , biology , receptor tyrosine kinase , microbiology and biotechnology , zebrafish , cancer research , kinase , genetics , gene , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery
As early as 1927, it was recognised that hybridisation of platyfish ( Xiphophorus maculatus ) and swordtails ( Xiphophorus helleri ) results in offspring that develop tumours according to Mendelian laws. Most obviously, the primary event, namely the cell lineage‐specific overexpression of a structurally altered receptor tyrosine kinase, finds its parallel in many tumours of birds and mammals. Once expressed at high levels, this receptor, the Xiphophorus melanoma inducing receptor kinase Xmrk, shows constitutive activation. By using different pathways, Xmrk induces both proliferative as well as anti‐apoptotic signalling in pigment cells finally leading to cell transformation, tumour induction, and progression. Analyses of the different signalling cascades induced by the Xmrk‐receptor led to the identification of the src‐kinase Fyn, the MAP kinases ERK1 and ERK2, the “Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription” STAT5, and the PI3‐kinase as its major downstream substrates. This review describes some of the genetic findings, as well as the results from the recent molecular analyses of the factors involved in the initiation and manifestation of pigment cell transformation and melanoma development in Xiphophorus. Microsc. Res. Tech. 58:456–463, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.