Transcriptome comparison of CM mouse melanomas treated with carbenoxolone or anti-PD-1. CM-CBX-aPD1

A syngeneic mouse melanoma cell line was derived from a cutaneous metastasis (CM) spontaneously developing in the Mt-Ret transgenic mouse melanoma model. In order to characterize the molecular consequences of pharmacological inhibition of HSD11B1 (11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1) in comparison to immune checkpoint blockade, we treated syngeneic mice bearing CM melanomas either with carbenoxolone (CBX), a well characterized HSD11B1 inhibitor, anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody or vehicle controls. Melanoma tissues were harvested under treatment and total RNA was isolated for 3’mRNA-seq analysis. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that both CBX and anti-PD-1 treatment enhanced interferon pathway activity in CM melanomas.