MiRNA-sequencing in normal human epidermal melanocytes, melanoblast-related cells and melanoma cell lines. MiRNA-sequencing in normal human epidermal melanocytes, melanoblast-related cells and melanoma cell lines

The study aims to identify differences in miRNA expression during melanoma development. Therefore, normal human epidermal melanocytes (NHEM) were de-differentiated into melanoblast-related cells (MBrCs) to model processes during embryonic differentiation and to compare them to the tumorigenic phenotype in melanoma development. Overall design: Four different samples of NHEM from different passages, two independent replicates of MBrCs (the de-differentiation process is described in Cook et al. 2003, Journal of Investigative Dermatology) and the melanoma cell lines Mel Wei, Mel Ei, Mel Juso, Mel Ju, Mel Im and Hmb2 as well as Hmb2 cells (Hmb2-5) deficient for the melanoma tumor marker MIA (as described in Poser et al. 2004, Oncogene).