SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodeling Enzymes in Melanoma

• Published in: Epigenomes Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 10
• Main Authors: Dreier, Megan R, de la Serna, Ivana L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 18-03-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: BAF; Cancer therapies; Chromatin remodeling; DNA methylation; Enzymes; Epigenetics; Gene expression; Genomes; Localization; Malignancy; Melanocytes; Melanoma; Metastasis; Mucosa; Mutation; PBAF; Radiation; Review; Risk factors; Roles; Stem cells; SWI/SNF enzymes; Transcription factors; Tumors; Ultraviolet radiation; Uvea; PBAF; therapeutics; melanocytes; BAF; chromatin remodeling; melanoma; SWI/SNF enzymes; epigenetics; ncBAF
• ISSN: 2075-4655; 2075-4655
• DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6010010

Melanoma is an aggressive malignancy that arises from the transformation of melanocytes on the skin, mucosal membranes, and uvea of the eye. SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling enzymes are multi-subunit complexes that play important roles in the development of the melanocyte lineage and in the response to ultraviolet radiation, a key environmental risk factor for developing cutaneous melanoma. Exome sequencing has revealed frequent loss of function mutations in genes encoding SWI/SNF subunits in melanoma. However, some SWI/SNF subunits have also been demonstrated to have pro-tumorigenic roles in melanoma and to affect sensitivity to therapeutics. This review summarizes studies that have implicated SWI/SNF components in melanomagenesis and have evaluated how SWI/SNF subunits modulate the response to current therapeutics.