Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Mol Cell. 2013 Aug 22;51(4):409-22. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2013.08.010.
The individuals carrying melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) variants, especially those associated with red hair color, fair skin, and poor tanning ability (RHC trait), are more prone to melanoma; however, the underlying mechanism is poorly defined. Here, we report that UVB exposure triggers phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) interaction with wild-type (WT), but not RHC-associated MC1R variants, which protects PTEN from WWP2-mediated degradation, leading to AKT inactivation. Strikingly, the biological consequences of the failure of MC1R variants to suppress PI3K/AKT signaling are highly context dependent. In primary melanocytes, hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT signaling leads to premature senescence; in the presence of BRAF(V600E), MC1R deficiency-induced elevated PI3K/AKT signaling drives oncogenic transformation. These studies establish the MC1R-PTEN axis as a central regulator for melanocytes' response to UVB exposure and reveal the molecular basis underlying the association between MC1R variants and melanomagenesis.
携带黑色素皮质素受体 (MC1R) 变体的个体,尤其是那些与红发、白皙皮肤和较差的晒黑能力(RHC 特征)相关的个体,更容易患黑色素瘤;然而,其潜在机制尚不清楚。在这里,我们报告说,UVB 暴露会触发磷酸酶和张力蛋白同源物 (PTEN) 与野生型 (WT) 而非与 RHC 相关的 MC1R 变体相互作用,从而保护 PTEN 免受 WWP2 介导的降解,导致 AKT 失活。引人注目的是,MC1R 变体未能抑制 PI3K/AKT 信号的生物学后果高度依赖于上下文。在原代黑素细胞中,PI3K/AKT 信号的过度激活会导致过早衰老;在存在 BRAF(V600E) 的情况下,MC1R 缺陷诱导的升高的 PI3K/AKT 信号驱动致癌转化。这些研究确立了 MC1R-PTEN 轴作为黑色素细胞对 UVB 暴露反应的中央调节剂,并揭示了 MC1R 变体与黑色素瘤发生之间关联的分子基础。