Aberrant PAX3 and PAX7 expression. A link to the metastatic potential of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and cutaneous malignant melanoma? J. Blake and M.R. Ziman School of Biomedical and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia Offprint requests to: Dr. Mel R. Ziman, School of Biomedical and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University, 100 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia. Fax: 61-8-94005717. email: m.ziman@ecu.edu.au
Summary. Transcription factors encoded by PAX3 and PAX7
are amongst the first expressed in the embryo, being principal
regulators of neurogenic and myogenic progenitor cell specification
and embryonic segmentation. The basis for this review lies in
the supposition that genetic programs for cell migration, thought
regulated by PAX3 and PAX7 during embryonic development, become
tools used by the metastatic cell. In highly metastatic neoplasms
arising from cells of neurogenic and myogenic lineages such as
embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and cutaneous malignant melanoma, markedly
high expression levels of PAX3 and PAX7 support this supposition. Key words: Developmental genes, Metastasis, Pax genes,
NCAM and ephrins |