Nme1 and Nme2 genes exert metastasis-suppressor activities in a genetically engineered mouse model of UV-induced melanoma

NME1 is a metastasis-suppressor gene (MSG), capable of suppressing metastatic activity in cell lines of melanoma, breast carcinoma and other cancer origins without affecting their growth in culture or as primary tumours. Herein, we selectively ablated the tandemly arranged Nme1 and Nme2 genes to assess their individual impacts on metastatic activity in a mouse model (HGF:p16(−/−)) of ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced melanoma. Metastatic activity was strongly enhanced in both genders of Nme1- and Nme2-null mice, with stronger activity in females across all genotypes. The study ascribes MSG activity to Nme2 for the first time in an in vivo model of spontaneous cancer, as well as a novel metastasis-suppressor function to Nme1 in the specific context of UVR-induced melanoma.