MAGEA1 promotes the metastasis of malignant melanoma by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

  Background  Malignant melanoma is a malignant tumor derived from melanocytes. It is a life-threatening skin tumor. The five-year survival rate of patients with metastatic melanoma is less than 10%. Melanoma-associated antigen family A1 (MAGEA1) is a member of the MAGE-A gene subfamily, expressed in a variety of malignant tumors, but its intrinsic biological mechanism in malignant melanoma is still unclear.

  Objective  To explore the signal pathway of MAGEA1 in promoting the metastasis of malignant melanoma by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and verify it.

  Methods  The RNA-Seq data of melanoma cell lines A375 and A2058 were analyzed to determine the positive regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway by MAGEA1. The activity of the pathway was determined by TOP/FOP and immunofluorescence staining. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detection the gene expression of the pathway at protein level and transcriptional level, respectively.

  Results  MAGEA1 activated Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway through c-Jun, promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of melanoma cells, and aggravated the invasion and migration ability of melanoma cells.

  Conclusion  As a gene related to malignant tumor metastasis, MAGEA1 can promote cell metastasis by activating Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway in malignant melanoma.