CD81 levels in melanoma cells are closely associated with MT1-MMP expression and cell motility.
A and B, human melanoma parental cell lines MelJuSo, SK-Mel-2, and Malme-3M and a stable MelJuSo CD81 transfectant clone, M-24, were examined for CD81 and MT1-MMP protein levels (A) and cell motility (B). C and D, SK-Mel-2 cells with endogenous CD81 were transfected with CD81-specific siRNA and then examined for MT1-MMP protein levels (C) and cell motility (D). Shown are representative immunoblots of three independent experiments (* and †, p < 0.03 versus a MelJuSo CD81 transfectant clone, M-24; **, p < 0.03; ‡, p < 0.01 versus control (Cont) siRNA-transfected cells). Migration data shown are the mean ± S.D. from three separate experiments with triplicates per experiment (*, **, ***, †, and ‡, p < 0.03). Error bars represent S.D.