Overexpression of RACK1 Predicts Poor Prognosis in Melanoma

Melanoma is a highly malignant skin cancer with limited treatment options, the mechanism of the occurrence and development of melanoma is still unclear till now. Receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) is a scaffolding protein that mediates multiple signaling pathways; it interconnects distinct signaling pathways to control essential cellular processes. RACK1 was reported as an oncogene in human tumorigenesis, but little is known about its role in melanoma. This study aimed to investigate the expression of RACK1 in patients with melanoma and to reveal its possible functions in melanoma cells. The expression profiles of RACK1 detected in tumor tissues from melanoma patients showed that RACK1 was higher in tumor tissues, and its expression level was well associated with the clinical progression of melanoma (TNM stage, P=0.009). Furthermore, RNA interfering (RNAi) knockdown of RACK1 could efficiently suppress the proliferation, migration and invasion of A375 and A875 cells and promote their apoptosis. Taken together, these results suggest that RACK1 may be a poor prognostic factor in human melanoma, and it may be a new therapeutic target for melanoma treatment.