Rhpn2 promotes zebrafish melanoma development and aggressiveness in vivo

This complex disease requires identification of additional cooperating events that contribute to progression, invasion and metastasis to reinforce therapeutics. RhoGTPases play key roles in cancer development and metastasis.

Rhophilin-2 (RHPN2), a Rho effector, is amplified in various human cancers and its role in melanoma remains unexplored. Here, we combined knock-down experiments in human melanoma cells, with knock-out and overexpression experiments in zebrafish to uncover the roles of RHPN2 in melanoma development. We show that in human melanoma cells RHPN2 contributes to growth, and to clonogenic, migratory and invasive properties of the cells.