title: Nestin is highly expressed in advanced-stage melanomas and neurotized             nevi.
abstract: Nestin, a class VI intermediate filament protein, was originally described             as a neural stem cell/progenitor cell marker. Expression of nestin has been reported             to be associated with the migration and metastasis of various types of tumor.             In the present study, we examined the expression of nestin in malignant melanomas             and nevi. Immunohistochemically, nestin was detected in all compound nevi, but             not in the majority of junctional nevi. Nestin was expressed at particularly high             levels in nevi with neurotization. In melanoma, nestin was expressed in all T3             and T4 cases, but only in half of the cases of T2 or less severe disease. These             results indicate that the expression levels of nestin in melanoma are associated             with advanced disease. In conclusion, nestin was expressed in advanced melanoma             tissues and neurotized nevi. Nestin may be an important marker of melanocytic             neoplasms. Further studies are required to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms             of nestin expression and to examine the possibility of nestin-targeted therapy             for malignant melanomas.
authors: Department of Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Michiko
authors: M
authors: Akiyama
authors: Yoko
authors: Y
authors: Matsuda
authors: Toshiyuki
authors: T
authors: Ishiwata
authors: Zenya
authors: Z
authors: Naito
authors: Seiji
authors: S
authors: Kawana
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D064231:Nestin; D058953:Neural Stem Cells; D009506:Nevus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin