Somatic mutation of GRIN2A in malignant melanoma results in loss of tumor suppressor activity via aberrant NMDAR complex formation

The ionotropic glutamate receptors (NMDAR) are composed of large complexes of multi-protein subunits creating ion channels in the cell plasma membranes that allow for influx or efflux of mono- or divalent cations (e.g., Ca(2+)) important for synaptic transmissions, cellular migration and survival. Recently, we discovered the high prevalence of somatic mutations within one of the ionotropic glutamate receptors, GRIN2A, in malignant melanoma. Functional characterization of a subset of GRIN2A mutants demonstrated a loss of NMDAR complex formation between GRIN1 and GRIN2A, increased anchorage-independent growth in soft agar, and increased migration. Somatic mutation of GRIN2A results in a dominant negative effect inhibiting the tumor suppressive phenotype of wild type GRIN2A in melanoma. Depletion of endogenous GRIN2A in melanoma cells expressing wild-type GRIN2A resulted in increased proliferation compared to control. In contrast, shRNA depletion of GRIN2A in mutant cell lines slightly reduced proliferation. Our data shows that somatic mutation of GRIN2A results in increased survival and is the first such report to demonstrate the functional importance of GRIN2A mutations in melanoma and the significance ionotropic glutamate receptor signaling plays in malignant melanoma.