title: Expression of autocrine motility factor receptor in cutaneous malignant melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The autocrine motility factor receptor (AMFR), a specific receptor for AME, is considered to be related to the metastatic potential of tumor cells.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether AMFR is expressed on cutaneous malignant melanoma cells and has any relationship to clinical stage and metastatic ability.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an immunohistochemical study on 20 cases of cutaneous malignant melanoma using anti-AMFR antibody. AMFR was expressed in 9 cases (45%), and its expression had a tendency to correlate with the clinical stage and the presence of lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of AMFR may have a possible association with the metastatic potential of malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyachi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004416:Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D060285:Receptors, Autocrine Motility Factor; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000032:analysis*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
chemical_list: D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; C555000:AMFR protein, human; D060285:Receptors, Autocrine Motility Factor; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases