title: Expression of Melan-A in Spitz, pigmented spindle cell nevi, and congenital nevi: comparative immunohistochemical study.
abstract: The expression of the antibody Melan-A in 27 benign melanocytic skin lesions (10 congenital nevi, 10 Spitz nevi, and 7 pigmented spindle cell nevi) was compared to that of S100 protein and HMB-45. To evaluate the role of Melan-A in differentiating melanocytic and nonmelanocytic lesions we assessed a number of benign nonmelanocytic skin lesions including neurofibromas, granular cell tumors, and dermatofibromas. Melan-A had an identical staining pattern to S100 protein in the melanocyte population of all lesions, but had the advantage of only staining cells of melanocytic lineage and no other cell types. HMB-45, although staining the junctional components of all lesions with a junctional component, showed varied intensity and distribution in the dermal components. Melan-A is much cleaner than S100 protein, having no background staining, and in skin appears to be specific for melanocytes. The nonmelanocytic lesions did not express Melan-A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Pathology, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blessing
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009506:Nevus / Q000151:congenital* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018331:Nevus, Spindle Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; C548667:MLANA protein, human; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins