Monoclonal antibody PAL-M1 recognizes the transferrin receptor and is a progression marker in melanocytic lesions.

Monoclonal antibody PAL-M1, which was selected to discriminate between nevocellular nevi and cutaneous melanomas, has not been characterized until now. Here we show that PAL-M1 is directed against the transferrin receptor (CD71). The molecules precipitated by PAL-M1 and by anti-transferrin receptor antibodies OKT9 and 5E9 from various human tumor cell lines (melanoma, hepatoma, and lymphoma) show identical characteristics on SDS-PAGE. PAL-M1 also specifically recognized mouse L cells expressing the human transferrin receptor gene. Competition experiments demonstrated that PAL-M1 and OKT9 recognize the same or a spatially close determinant. Immunohistochemical staining of a large series of melanocytic lesions indicates that the transferrin receptor can be considered as a progression antigen in this type of lesion.