Oral communication, iL19

Official XXIst International Pigment Cell Conference website - 21-24 Sept 2011, Bordeaux - France | updated: September 04 2011

Murine models: coat color and melanoma

Melanocytes are derived from neural crest cells. Genetic defaults may lead to coat color abnormality, early graying and melanoma. Melanoma is a very aggressive tumor and is responsible of the death of 80% of the patients having a cancer of the skin. Incidence in western countries continues to rise. In order to better understand initiation and progression of melanoma, our research based on normal and pathological development of melanocytes combine (i) molecular approach based on a better understanding on cellular signalization associated with b-catenin involving Wnt, PI3K, Map-kinase and cadherins, (ii) cellular approach based on our understanding on the establishment, maintenance and alteration (transformation and hypo/hyperpigmentation) of this lineage and (iii) a physiopathological approach, based on murine models. We will present original mouse murine models presenting coat color abnormalities and affecting BRAF, NRAS, INK4A, CTNNB1, PTEN and CDH1, which allowed a better understanding in proliferation, immortalization and invasion.

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