MITF: master regulator of melanocyte development and melanoma oncogene

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) acts as a master regulator of melanocyte development, function and survival by modulating various differentiation and cell-cycle progression genes. It has been demonstrated that MITF is an amplified oncogene in a fraction of human melanomas and t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in molecular medicine 2006-09, Vol.12 (9), p.406-414
Main Authors: Levy, Carmit, Khaled, Mehdi, Fisher, David E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative Splicing
Animals
Base Sequence
Cell Differentiation
Gene Expression Regulation
Humans
Melanocytes - cytology
Melanoma - genetics
Melanoma - physiopathology
Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor - genetics
Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor - metabolism
Models, Genetic
Molecular Sequence Data
Mutation
Oncogenes
Protein Processing, Post-Translational
Transcription, Genetic
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Summary:Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) acts as a master regulator of melanocyte development, function and survival by modulating various differentiation and cell-cycle progression genes. It has been demonstrated that MITF is an amplified oncogene in a fraction of human melanomas and that it also has an oncogenic role in human clear cell sarcoma. However, MITF also modulates the state of melanocyte differentiation. Several closely related transcription factors also function as translocated oncogenes in various human malignancies. These data place MITF between instructing melanocytes towards terminal differentiation and/or pigmentation and, alternatively, promoting malignant behavior. In this review, we survey the roles of MITF as a master lineage regulator in melanocyte development and its emerging activities in malignancy. Understanding the molecular function of MITF and its associated pathways will hopefully shed light on strategies for improving therapeutic approaches for these diseases.
ISSN:1471-4914
1471-499X
DOI:10.1016/j.molmed.2006.07.008