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Highly pigmented T g( Grm1 ) mouse melanoma develops non‐pigmented melanoma cells in distant metastases
Author(s) -
Schiffner Susanne,
Chen Suzie,
Becker Jürgen C.,
Bosserhoff AnjaKatrin
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0625.2012.01560.x
Subject(s) - melanoma , metastasis , cancer research , pathology , biology , medicine , cancer , genetics
Murine model systems are critically required tools for the investigation of unknown mechanisms of melanoma development and metastasis and for developing more efficient therapies. The T g( Grm1 ) EP v melanoma mouse model is characterized by spontaneous development of pigmented cutaneous melanomas at hairless skin regions, with a short latency and 100% penetrance. Local metastasis was described in initial analyses; however, melanoma cells were not observed in distant organs. Here, we demonstrate that the established T g( Grm1 ) EP v melanoma mouse model exhibits more extensive metastasis into distant organs than previously described. Disseminated cells undergo phenotypic changes, as we observed high numbers of non‐pigmented G rm1‐expressing melanoma cells within distant organs. As such changes during metastasis are common in human melanoma, our findings demonstrate that this mouse model represents an even more useful tool to study unknown mechanisms of metastasis in human melanoma than previously assumed.