Author(s)

Anamaria da Silva Facina, Gil Facina, Ismael Dale Cotrim Guerreiro da Silva, Giovana Aparecida Gonçalves, Fernando Augusto de Almeida, Silvana Aparecida Alves Corrêa de Noronha, Samuel Marcos Ribeiro de Noronha, Mary Uchiyama Nakamura

Departament of Dermatology, Federal University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, Brazil.
Departament of Obstetrics, Federal University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, Brazil.
Department of Gynecology, Federal University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, Brazil.
Department of Surgery, Federal University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, Brazil.

Cancer is a major public health problem throughout the world. It is estimated that one third of the American population will develop the disease at some time during their lifetimes. Among these, melanoma will account for 7% of the cases. In Brazil, in 2012, it is estimated that over six thousand new melanoma cases occurred. During recent years, the incidence of melanoma has increased, mainly due to a more constant exposure of the skin to sunlight. In this work, our aim is to assess the expression of apoptotis-related genes melanoma tumors in mice treated with Viscum album (VA). This will allow us to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor cell death activation caused by this compound. Our results clearly demonstrate upregulation of pro apoptotic genes (Trp53bp2, Nol3, Fadd, Tnfsf10, Traf1, Traf2, Cflar, Card10, Nod1, Casp 2, Casp7, Xiap, Dad1, and Dffb). Further bioinformatics-based tool analysis allowed us to assess which specific cell death-related intracellular pathways were activated by VA treatment. Two major effects of VA in melanoma cells could be observed: generation of an immunomudulatory Th-1 like action, recruiting several interleukines, and cell death activation through Caspase7, associated uspstream with Card10 and downstream with CAD. In summary, VA modulates apoptosis related genes in cancer melanoma cells. Although a deeper study should be conducted, VA seems to interfere with important signaling pathways within melanoma cells that control the cellular mechanisms of apoptosis activation. Therapeutic approaches using VA as an antineoplastic and adjuvant medication compounding should be considered.

Viscum Album; Melanoma; Apoptosis Pathways; PCR Array; Immunohistochemistry

da Silva Facina, A. , Facina, G. , Guerreiro da Silva, I. , Aparecida Gonçalves, G. , Augusto de Almeida, F. , Aparecida Alves Corrêa de Noronha, S. , Marcos Ribeiro de Noronha, S. and Uchiyama Nakamura, M. (2014) Viscum Album Modulates Apoptotic Related Genes in Melanoma Tumor of Mice. American Journal of Molecular Biology, 4, 49-58. doi: 10.4236/ajmb.2014.42007.