Suppression of melanoma cell proliferation by histidine decarboxylase specific antisense oligonucleotides

Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) is expressed by the cells of melanoma, in whi ch the histamine content tends to be relatively high. This study shows that elevated expression of HDC was found by western blot analysis of primary a nd metastatic melanoma tissue using a polyclonal HDC specific antibody. The specificity of anti-HDC antibody was confirmed by inhibition of HDC transl ation (i.e., immunopositivity) in melanoma cells by HDC-specific antisense oligonucleotide. Moreover, the decrease in proliferation caused by HDC anti sense oligonucleotides indicates considerable functional relevance of hista mine synthesis in melanoma growth and suggests a possible in situ applicati on of specific antisense oligonucleotides for HDC in melanoma therapy.