title: Reduced Expression of RECK Protein May Help Differentiate Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma from Melanocytic Nevus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Differentiating between vertical growth cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) and predominantly intradermal benign melanocytic nevus (BMN) can be extremely challenging. Reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) is an endogenous inhibitor of many proteins that promote tumor invasion and progression. We investigated the difference in expression of RECK between CMM and BMN to determine whether RECK could assist in their differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of RECK in skin biopsies of 39 cases, including 20 cases of CMM and 19 cases of BMN, was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two out of 20 cases (10%) of CMM were positive for RECK, and all (100%) 19 cases of BMN exhibited positivity at different levels. In 7/8 cases of CMM adjacent to benign nevus cells, malignant melanoma cells did not express RECK, but benign nevus cells stained positively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that immunohistochemical staining for RECK could be useful in the differential diagnosis between CMM and BMN.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York, NY, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shi-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.affiliation: Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York, NY, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Mebratu Ketema
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Tabor
authors.affiliation: Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York, NY, U.S.A. jakki22@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Junkins-Hopkins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; C115460:RECK protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Melanoma; RECK; immunohistochemical stain; nevus; reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs