Relationship between melanoma vemurafenib tolerance thresholds and metabolic pathway choice and Wnt signaling involvement. (PubMed, bioRxiv)
MITF and β-catenin levels were induced and treatment with Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor ICG-001 restored vemurafenib sensitivity with concomitant reductions in β-catenin-regulated gene expressions, phospho-ERK1/2, and VemR-induced mitochondrial mass and respiration. Pathways associated with cytokine-cytokine receptor, ECM receptor, and neuroactive ligand receptor interactions were similarly enriched in BRAFV600E patient-derived melanoma as M14 and A2058 cells whereas distinct pathways involving cell cycle, DNA replication, Fanconi anemia and DNA repair pathways are upregulated in wild type BRAF expressing patient derived melanoma. These data show for the first time that the metabolic pathway choices made by VemR BRAF mutant melanomas are controlled by vemurafenib tolerance and endurance thresholds and Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a central role in coordinating expression of genes controlling VemR and metabolic pathway shifts.