MED27 promotes melanoma growth by targeting AKT/MAPK and NF-κB/iNOS signaling pathways.

•Med27 was highly expressed in melanoma cells and tumor tissues.•The silencing of Med27 led to melanoma cell proliferation inhibition, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.•The silencing of Med27 resulted in the inactivation of PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling and the activation of Bax/Cyto C/Caspase apoptotic pathway in melanoma cells.•The silencing of Med27 led to the decrease of iNOS expression through inhibiting the activation of a serial of upstream key proteins of NF-κB signaling pathway and the final translocation of p50/p65 from cytoplasm to nucleus.•NF-κB and p300 interacted with Med27 and p300 mediated the acetylation of Med27 in melanoma cells.•MED27 knockdown inhibited melanoma progression in vivo in a melanoma mouse model.