title: Tissue microarray analysis of ezrin, KBA.62, CD166, nestin, and p-Akt in melanoma versus banal and atypical nevi, and nonmelanocytic lesions.
abstract: Multiple melanocytic markers are useful for differentiating between melanoma and nonmelanocytic lesions but generally do not distinguish melanoma from nevi and atypical melanocytic lesions. We sought to determine if several immunohistochemical markers recently described in the literature, including ezrin, KBA.62, p-Akt, CD166, and nestin, may be helpful in distinguishing these lesions. One hundred ten tissue microarray samples were scored for nestin and CD166 and 220 samples for ezrin, KBA.62, and p-Akt. We found that putative stem cell markers nestin and CD166 were both expressed in most melanomas (86% and 65% of samples, respectively), including desmoplastic melanoma, but were also expressed at similar levels in nevi (79% and 74%, respectively). In addition, these markers were not specific for melanocytic lesions. Ezrin was also expressed in both nevi and melanoma (81% each), including desmoplastic melanoma (75%), and in neural tumors. KBA.62 stained more cases of nevi versus melanoma (93% and 65%, respectively) and was positive in 53% of desmoplastic melanoma. However, it was also positive in several nonmelanocytic tumors. P-Akt expression was generally weak but was increased in nevi (75%) versus melanoma (43%), and was lost in desmoplastic melanomas (5%). Overall, only KBA.62 and p-Akt expression differed between melanoma and nevi, and none of these markers were completely specific for melanocytic tumors versus nonmelanocytic lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Shanesmith
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smart
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cassarino
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D064231:Nestin; D009506:Nevus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D000099149:Ezrin; D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt; D000099149:Ezrin; C105613:ALCAM protein, human; D020410:Activated-Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule; C577484:NES protein, human