Skip to main content

The Ha-ras-1 oncogene and the molecular genetics of human melanoma

  • Chapter
Malignant Melanoma: Biology, Diagnosis, and Therapy

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 43))

  • 67 Accesses

Abstract

There is now compelling evidence that the majority of human cancers have a genetic basis. This evidence derives from (1) classical cytogenetic analysis of the karyotypic abnormalities in tumor cells; (2) molecular cytogenetics, where specifically mapped molecular probes are used to demonstrate allelic differences between somatic and tumor cells; (3) the identification of transforming genes (oncogenes) in human cancers by DNA transfection; (4) specific demonstration of alteration in known proto-oncogenes by molecular techniques; and (5) the clinical, cytogenetic, and molecular genetic study of hereditary cancer kindreds. The specific evidence from these approaches to human melanoma suggests that fundamental genetic abnormalities may also characterize this disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pedersen MI, Bennett JW, Wang N: Nonrandom chromosome structural aberrations and oncogene loci in human malignant melanoma. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 20:11–27, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Balaban G, Herlyn M, Guerry D, Bartolo R, Koprowski H, Clark WH, Nowell PC: Cytogenetics of human melanoma and premalignant lesions. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 11:429–439, 1984.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Yunis JJ: Chromosomal rearrangements, genes, and fragile sites in cancer: Clinical and biological implications. In: Important advances in oncology 1986, DeVita VT Jr, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co, pp. 1986, 93–128.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Dracopoli NC, Houghton AN, Old LJ: Loss of polymorphic restriction fragments in malignant melanoma: Implications for tumor heterogeneity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82:1470–1474, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Albino AP, Le Strange R, Pliff AI, Furth ME, Old LJ: Transforming ras genes from human melanoma: A manifestation of tumour heterogeneity? Nature 308:69–72, 1984.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sekiya T, Fushima M, Hori H, Hirohashi S, Nishimura S, Sugimura T: Molecular cloning and the total nucleotide sequence of the human c-Ha-ras-1 gene activated in a melanoma from a Japanese patient. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 81:4771–4775, 1984.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bos JL, Fearon ER, Hamilton SR, Verlaan-de Vries M, van Boom JH, van der Eb AJ, Vogelstein B: Prevalence of ras gene mutations in human colorectal cancers. Nature 327:293–297, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Impraim CC, Saiki RK, Erlich HA, Teplitz RL: Analysis of DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues by enzymatic amplification and hybridization with sequence-specific oligonucleotides. Biochem Biophys Res Comm 142:710–716, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Forrester K, Alsoguera C, Han K, Grizzle WE, Perucho M: Detection of high incidence of K-ras oncogenes during human colon tumorigenesis. Nature 327:298–303, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Orkin SH: Reverse genetics and human disease. Cell 47:845–850, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Friend SH, Bernards R, Rogelj S, Weinberg RA, Rapaport JM, Albert DM, Dryja TP: A human DNA segment with properties of the gene that predisposes to retinoblastoma and osteosarcoma. Nature 323:643–646, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Bodmer WF, Bailey CJ, Bodmer J, Bussey HJR, Ellis A, Gorman P, Lucibello FC, Murday VA, Rider SH, Scambler P, Sheer D, Solomon E, Spurr NK: Localization of the gene for familial adenomatous polyposis on chromosome 5. Nature 328:614–616, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Mathew CGP, Chin KS, Easton DF, 13 others: A linked genetic marker for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A on chromosome 10. Nature 328:527–528, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Greene MH, Clark WH, Tucker MA, Elder DE, Kraemer KH, Guerry DP IV, Witmer WK, Thompson J, Matozzo I, Fraser MC: Acquired precursors of cutaneous malignant melanoma. The familial dysplastic nevus syndrome. N Engl J Med 312:91–94, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bale SJ, Chakravarti A, Greene MH: Cutaneous malignant melanoma and familial dysplastic nevi: Evidence for autosomal dominance and pleiotropy. Am J Hum Genet 38:188–196, 1986.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Pascoe L: The inheritance of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) and dysplastic nevus syndrome (DNS). Am J Hum Genet 40:464–465, 1987.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Greene MH, Goldin LR, Clark WH, Lovrien E, Kraemer KH, Tucker MH, Elder DE, Fraser MC, Rowe S: Familial cutaneous melanoma: Autosomal dominant trait possible linked to the Rh locus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 80:6071–6075, 1983.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Krontiris TG, DiMartino NA, Colb M, Parkinson DR: Unique allelic restriction fragments of the human Ha-ras locus in leucocyte and tumor DNAs of cancer patients. Nature 313:369–374, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Rabinowe SN, Krontiris TG: Enhancement of human c-Ha-ras-1 transcription by the downstream variable tandem repeat (VTR). Blood 68 Suppl 1:262a, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sutherland C, Shaw HM, Roberts C, Grace J, Stewart MM, McCarthy WH, Kefford RF: Harvey-ras oncogene restriction fragment alleles in familial melanoma kindreds. Brit J Cancer 54:787–790, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Gerhard DS, Dracopoli NC, Bale SJ, Houghton AN, Watkins P, Payne CE, Greene MH: Evidence against Ha-ras-1 involvement in sporadic and familial melanoma. Nature 325:73–75, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Bale SJ, Greene MH, Murray C, Goldin LR, Johnson AH, Mann D: Hereditary melanoma is not linked to the HLA complex on chromosome 6. Internat J Cancer 36:439–443, 1985.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Mathew CGP, Smith BA, Thorpe K, Wong Z, Royle NJ, Jeffreys AJ, Ponder BAJ: Deletion of genes on chromosome 1 in endocrine neoplasia. Nature 328:524–526, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Stoler A, Bouck N: Identification of a single chromosome in the human genome essential for suppression of hamster cell transformation. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 82:570–574, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Caporaso N, Green MH, Tsai S, Pickle LW, Mulvihill JJ: Cytogenetics in hereditary malignant melanoma and dysplastic nevus syndrome: Is dysplastic nevus syndrome a chromosome instability disorder? Cancer Genet Cytogenet 24:299–314, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Howell JN, Greene MH, Corner RC, Maher VM, McCormick J: Fibroblasts from patients with hereditary cutaneous malignant melanoma are abnormally sensitive to the mutagenic effect of simulated sunlight and 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 81: 1179–1183, 1984.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Selzinger BR, Rouleau GA, Ozelius LJ, 30 others: Genetic linkage of von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis to the nerve growth factor receptor gene. Cell 49:589–594, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Hafez M, Sharaf L, Al-Nabi, SMA, El-Wehedy G: Evidence of chromosomal instability in neurofibromatosis. Cancer 55:2434–2436, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Sager R: Genetic suppression of tumour formation: A new frontier in cancer research. Cancer Res 46:1573–1580, 1986.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Knudson AG Jr: Genetics of human cancer. Ann Rev Genet 20:231–251, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1988 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kefford, R.F., Shaw, H.M., McCarthy, W.H. (1988). The Ha-ras-1 oncogene and the molecular genetics of human melanoma. In: Nathanson, L. (eds) Malignant Melanoma: Biology, Diagnosis, and Therapy. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 43. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1751-7_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1751-7_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8983-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-1751-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics