UXT enhances melanoma proliferation, migration, and invasion through modulation of the P53 signaling pathway.

Abstract

Melanoma is a highly malignant skin cancer with significant morbidity and mortality, and current treatments have shown limited efficacy in substantially improving clinical outcomes. This highlights an urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. Identifying key factors that promote or inhibit melanoma progression presents a promising approach for developing novel therapeutic targets. The UXT protein levels are increased in multiple human tumor tissues, such as bladder, breast, ovarian, and thyroid cancers, while showing no alteration in the corresponding normal tissues. UXT has previously been shown to be associated with the inhibition of P53, a tumor suppressor factor that plays a crucial role in regulating cancer progression. However, the specific role of UXT in melanoma remains unclear. This study investigates the impact of UXT on melanoma progression, focusing on its effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion, alongside its underlying molecular mechanisms. We employed Western blotting, quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, CCK-8 assays, colony formation, flow cytometry, wound healing, and invasion assays to explore these functions. Results indicate that UXT is aberrantly upregulated in melanoma cell lines. In vitro experiments demonstrated that silencing UXT inhibited melanoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while also inducing apoptosis. Conversely, overexpression of UXT promoted melanoma cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and facilitated cell cycle progression. In vivo experiments yielded consistent results, showing that UXT knockdown suppressed tumor growth, while UXT overexpression promoted tumor development. Additionally, our study revealed that UXT knockdown activated the p53 signaling pathway in melanoma cells, suggesting that UXT could serve as a potential therapeutic target for melanoma.