Modulation of WNT/β-catenin pathway in melanoma by biologically active components derived from plants

Metastatic melanoma is an aggressive cancer, often resistant to treatment. Therefore, it is essential to determine the molecular mechanisms leading to melanoma or underlying resistance to therapy, and the response to targeted inhibition of the RAS/BRAF/MEK/ERK pathway was a good lesson in this respect. Aberrant WNT/β-catenin pathway is observed in melanoma, and the modulators of this signaling cascade have been under investigation in the context of therapy as well as chemoprevention. Several natural compounds were recognized as being capable of targeting elements of the WNT/β-catenin pathway in various cancers, however, only a few of them can modulate this pathway in melanoma. This review examines recent research on the role of the WNT/β-catenin pathway in tumor development and maintenance, as well as summarizes the current knowledge concerning the modulation of this pathway in melanoma by active compounds of natural origin.

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