title: The melanoma-specific XMEL antigen is expressed in dysplastic naevi.
abstract: We have previously shown that a novel monoclonal antibody, XMEL, exhibited reactivity with deep primary melanomas while showing no reactivity with other tumours and normal tissue. XMEL was raised against a part of the extracellular domain of Xmrk, a growth factor receptor presumed to mediate melanoma formation in the Xiphophorus fish model. Here we investigate the range of XMEL immunohistochemical reactivity in paraffin sections from human common acquired and dysplastic naevi of both junctional and compound type. The strongest reactivity was observed with the compound dysplastic naevi. We conclude that the antigen recognized by XMEL acts early in the cascade of genetic alterations underlying progression into malignant melanoma. Our results also support the notion that the dysplastic naevus may play a role in progression of human malignant melanoma and may indeed represent the precursor stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, University of British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Tron
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Vielkind
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004416:Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D029941:Fish Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D029941:Fish Proteins; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C077101:Xmrk protein, Xiphophorus