Following gene-based burden testing and after correction for multiple testing, two of these genes, ABCB5 and C16orf96, were determined to show statistically significant association with cancer.
ABC member B5 (ABCB5) mediates multidrug resistance (MDR) in diverse malignancies and confers clinically relevant 5-fluorouracil resistance to CD133-expressing cancer stem cells in human colorectal cancer (CRC).
Our results suggest that the helicase HAGE has a key role in the resistance of ABCB5+ MMICs to IFNα treatment and that cancer therapies targeting HAGE may have broad implications for the treatment of malignant melanoma.
Tumor cell subpopulations that express cancer stem cell markers such as CD133 (prominin1) or ABCB5 are thought to be crucial for tumor initiation and heterogeneity, but their biological significance in melanoma has been controversial.