Fig. 4

BET inhibition alters melanocyte differentiation and melanoma-specific gene expression. Melb-a cells were differentiated in the presence of vehicle or 500 nM (+)JQ1. RNA from three biological replicates was subjected to RNA-seq. Differential gene expression between vehicle (DMSO) and 500 nM (+)JQ1 was determined from RNA-seq data (p < 0.05, q < 0.25). a Upon small molecule inhibition, pathways relevant to pigmentation and melanoma proliferation and resistance were identified and quantified using normalized enrichment scores (NES) with p < 0.05 and q < 0.25. b–d Venn diagrams showing overlap of gene expression relevant to melanocyte differentiation between BET inhibited Melb-a cells and BET inhibited melanoma cells. Bold text indicates differential gene expression > 1.5. b Down-regulated (left) and up-regulated (right) pigment genes. Asterisks indicate that they are MITF target genes. c Down-regulated (left) and up-regulated (right) transcriptional regulators of melanocyte differentiation. Asterisks indicate that they are MITF target genes. d Additional MITF target genes involved in proliferation, mast cell and osteoclast differentiation that are down-regulated (left) or up-regulated (right)