Increased epidermal growth factor receptors in melanocytic lesions.

Abstract

Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGF/R) have been reported to be absent in melanomas or, in contrast, to be markers for potential malignancy in melanocytic lesions. Our purpose was to evaluate the literature discrepancies regarding the presence of EGF/R in melanocytic lesions and to determine whether EGF/R presence correlates with the potential for malignancy of melanocytic lesions. An EGF/R-specific polyclonal antibody was used to study melanomas, dysplastic nevi, congenital nevi, and nevocellular nevi. All melanocytic cell types (nevus and melanoma cells) in the lesions studied had immunoreactive EGF/R. EGF/R immunoreactivity was also observed throughout the epidermal basal to granular cell layers overlying the melanocytic lesions, although dermal fibroblasts were negative. The pattern of increased immunoreactive EGF/R in both benign and malignant nevocellular lesions suggests that although EGF/R are not a specific marker of potential malignancy in melanocytic lesions, they may mediate or coordinate growth of keratinocytes and nevus cells.