Dysregulation of LYN Gene Expression in Melanoma Patients: A Statistically Significant Association with Clinical Outcomes

Abstract

Skin cancer accounts for one-third of all diagnosed cancers, with 132,000 new cases of melanoma detected each year (1). By 2040, the melanoma burden is projected to reach 510,000 new cases (a 50% increase) and 96,000 deaths (a 68% increase) if 2020 incidence rates persist (2). Even though it only accounts for 2% of all occurrences of skin cancer, invasive melanoma is the cause of 80% of skin cancer deaths (3). Skin cancer is more common in the white population compared to the Asian population (2). The risk factors for melanoma include UV exposure, tanning, moles, skin type, gender, age, family history, and immunosuppression (4,5,6). In addition to these environmental and demographic risk factors, mutations in specific genes and dysregulation in signaling pathways significantly contribute to melanoma pathogenesis. Gene mutations associated with skin cancer primarily involve those linked to DNA repair, metabolism, and oxidative stress. Among these, the SRC signaling pathway is crucial for cell survival, migration, and proliferation, with alterations in this pathway significantly impacting skin malignancies. The Lyn gene, a member of the SRC family, is instrumental in signal transduction and is expressed across various tissues. Previous research has indicated that Lyn overexpression enhances cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in several cancers, including cervical, breast, oral, and gastric cancers. However, there is a scarcity of studies focusing on the role of Lyn in skin cancer. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Lyn gene expression levels and the development and progression of skin cancer. We analyzed 170 skin cancer samples alongside adjacent control tissues using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), with β-actin serving as an endogenous control. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and t-tests. Our findings revealed a significant up-regulation of the Lyn gene (P=0.0017) in skin cancer patients compared to adjacent controls, indicating that Lyn overexpression is significantly associated with skin cancer. This study contributes to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying skin cancer and highlights the potential role of Lyn as a biomarker for disease progression.