Time course transcriptomic analysis of human melanoma A375 cells dying of immunogenic or non immunogenic apoptosis

We set out to investigate the transcriptional profile of cancer cells responding to mitoxantrone (MTX) or hypericin-based photodynamic therapy (Hyp-PDT), as prototypes of immunogenic treatments compared to cisplatin (CDDP), considered a poorly immunogenic chemotherapeutic. We isolated the bulk-RNA of the treated cells, at 0 hr (untreated) and 4 hr (pre-apoptotic), 10 hr (early apoptotic) and 20 hr (late apoptotic) post-treatment, and compared it to their respective time-matched untreated controls. Differential gene expression analysis revealed that MTX and Hyp-PDT significantly upregulated the transcription of several genes as early as 4 hr post-treatment, whereas responses to CDDP treatment occurred mainly at the later time points and were associated with a predominant transcript downregulation. Bioinformatics analyses showed pathways relative to chemokine signaling and inflammation as significantly associated selectively to cells dying in an immunogenic fashion. mRNA profiles of human melanoma A375p cells 4 hours, 10 hours and 20 hours after treatment with immunogenic treatments (MTX, Hyp-PDT) and non-immunogenic treatments (CDDP) and time matched untreated controls