P43121

MCAM also known as Mel-CAM, MUC18, CD146 is a transmembrane glycoprotein. MCAM plays a critical role in cell adhesion, particularly in melanoma. MCAM′s structure includes a signal peptide, five immunoglobulin-like domains, a transmembrane region, and a short cytoplasmic tail, which are essential for function as a calcium-independent adhesion molecule. MCAM is predominantly expressed in advanced primary and metastatic melanomas, with expression levels correlating strongly with metastatic disease progression. Expression of MCAM occurs in 80% of advanced primary human melanomas, making MCAM a significant marker for tumorigenic activity. MCAM′s ability to initiate outside-in signaling pathways involving protein tyrosine kinases such as Fyn, FAK, and paxillin is crucial for influencing actin cytoskeleton dynamics, which affects cellular morphology and migration. MCAM is essential for maintaining thymic architecture and function, highlighting MCAM′s importance not only in cancer biology but also in immune system development.