Adipokines secreted by adipose tissue in obesity may modify the angiogenesis, migration, invasion, proliferation, and death of melanoma cells, potentially promoting melanoma growth.
Understanding the functions of adipokines may elucidate how obesity promotes melanoma growth and contribute to novel therapies and biomarkers.
Obesity is a growing problem in the world and is one of the risk factors of various cancers. Among these cancers is melanoma, which accounts for the majority of skin tumor deaths. Current studies are looking for a correlation between obesity and melanoma. They suspect that a potential cause of its development is connected to the biology of adipokines, active molecules secreted by adipose tissue. Under physiological conditions, adipokines control many processes, including lipid and glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, angiogenesis, and inflammations. However, when there is an increased amount of fat in the body, their secretion is dysregulated. This article reviews the current knowledge of the effect of adipokines on melanoma growth. This work focuses on the molecular pathways by which adipose tissue secreted molecules modify the angiogenesis, migration, invasion, proliferation, and death of melanoma cells. We also discuss the role of these factors as markers of incidence, metastasis, and melanoma patient survival. Understanding the functions of adipokines will lead to knowledge of whether and how obesity promotes melanoma growth. Further studies may contribute to the innovations of therapies and the use of adipokines as predictive and/or prognostic biomarkers.
Olszańska et al. (Mon,) conducted a review in Melanoma and Obesity. Obesity and Adipokines was evaluated on Melanoma growth, angiogenesis, migration, invasion, proliferation, and cell death. Adipokines secreted by adipose tissue in obesity may modify the angiogenesis, migration, invasion, proliferation, and death of melanoma cells, potentially promoting melanoma growth.