Fateful music from a talented orchestra with a wicked conductor: Connection between oncogenic BRAF, ER stress, and autophagy in human melanoma

Paola Giglio; Gian Maria Fimia; Penny E Lovat; Mauro Piacentini; Marco Corazzari

doi:10.4161/23723556.2014.995016

Fateful music from a talented orchestra with a wicked conductor: Connection between oncogenic BRAF, ER stress, and autophagy in human melanoma

Mol Cell Oncol. 2015 Jan 26;2(3):e995016. doi: 10.4161/23723556.2014.995016. eCollection 2015 Jul-Sep.

Authors

Paola Giglio¹, Gian Maria Fimia², Penny E Lovat³, Mauro Piacentini⁴, Marco Corazzari⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology; University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' ; Rome, Italy.
² Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology (Di.S.Te.B.A.); University of Salento; Lecce, Italy; National Institute for Infectious Diseases IRCCS'L. Spallanzani'; Rome, Italy.
³ Dermatological Sciences Institute of Cellular Medicine; Newcastle University ; Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
⁴ Department of Biology; University of Rome 'Tor Vergata'; Rome, Italy; National Institute for Infectious Diseases IRCCS'L. Spallanzani'; Rome, Italy.

Abstract

Autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are involved in the development, progression, and chemoresistance of melanoma. We recently reported that oncogenic serine/threonine-protein kinase BRAF induces chronic ER stress, hence increasing baseline autophagy and promoting chemoresistance. The attenuation of ER stress restores basal autophagic activity and resensitizes melanoma cells to apoptosis.

Keywords: BRAF; ER stress; autophagy; cancer; melanoma.