Uveal melanoma (UM) is a genetically and biologically distinct type of melanoma, and once metastatic there is no effective treatment currently available. 80% of UMs harbor mutations in the Gαq family members GNAQ and GNA11. Understanding the effector pathways downstream of these oncoproteins is important to identify opportunities for targeted therapy. We report consistent activation of the protein kinase C (PKC) and MAPK pathways as a consequence of GNAQ or GNA11 mutation. PKC inhibition with AEB071 or AHT956 suppressed PKC and MAPK signalling and induced G1 arrest selectively in melanoma cell lines carrying GNAQ or GNA11 mutations. In contrast, treatment with two different MEK inhibitors, PD0325901 and MEK162, inhibited the proliferation of melanoma cell lines irrespective of their mutation status, indicating that in the context of GNAQ or GNA11 mutation, MAPK activation can be attributed to activated PKC. AEB071 significantly slowed the growth of tumors in an allograft model of GNAQQ209L transduced melanocytes, but did not induce tumor shrinkage. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that PKC inhibitors alone were unable to induce sustained suppression of MAP-kinase signaling. However, combinations of PKC and MEK inhibition, using either PD0325901 or MEK162, led to sustained MAP-kinase pathway inhibition and showed a strong synergistic effect in halting proliferation and in inducing apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, combining PKC and MEK inhibition was efficacious in vivo, causing marked tumor regression in a uveal melanoma xenograft model. Our data identifies PKC as a rational therapeutic target for melanoma patients with GNAQ or GNA11 mutations, and demonstrates combined MEK and PKC inhibition is synergistic, with superior efficacy compared to treatment with either approach alone.

Immortalization with SV40-TAg results in altered integrin expression by chondrocytes. Changes in the relative levels of alpha1, alpha2, and alpha3 subunits may significantly alter the manner in which chondrocytes interact with types II and VI collagen in the extracellular matrix.

Conclusion. ESE-1 is expressed in synovial tissues in RA and, to a variable extent, in OA, and is specifically induced in synovial fibroblasts, chondroDr. Libermann

Type II collagen, encoded by the COL2A1 gene, is the major collagen of the extracellular matrix of mature articular cartilage. Together with the other cartilage-specific type IX and XI collagens, the highly cross-linked fibrils of triple helical type II collagen molecules form a fibrillar network that confers tensile strength to articular surfaces (1). Chondrocytes comprise the single cellular component of adult hyaline cartilage and are responsive to a number of growth factors and cytokines that either stimulate or inhibit type II collagen synthesis (2). Interleukin-1 (IL-1)