MCAM (Melanoma Cell Adhesion Molecule)
A transmembrane glycoprotein involved in cell adhesion, angiogenesis, and tumor progression.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | MCAM |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Melanoma Cell Adhesion Molecule |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 11q23.3 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 4162 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4162 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000176769 |
| UniProt ID | P43121 |
| OMIM ID | 155745 |
| HGNC ID | 6934 |
| Aliases | CD146, MUC18, S-endo, A32, METCAM |
Description
MCAM (Melanoma Cell Adhesion Molecule), also known as CD146, is a transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. It functions as a cell adhesion molecule involved in endothelial cell-cell interactions, angiogenesis, and tumor progression. MCAM is expressed in various tissues and is frequently upregulated in malignant melanoma and other cancers, where it promotes metastasis and poor prognosis.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Melanoma | Overexpression of MCAM promotes tumor cell adhesion, migration, and invasion, contributing to metastasis. | NCBI Gene, COSMIC |
| Breast Cancer | MCAM expression correlates with tumor aggressiveness and poor survival; involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition. | NCBI Gene, COSMIC |
| Prostate Cancer | MCAM upregulation is associated with metastatic progression and androgen independence. | NCBI Gene, COSMIC |
| Angiogenesis-related disorders | MCAM is expressed on endothelial cells and regulates vascular tube formation and sprouting. | UniProt, NCBI Gene |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | 0.8 | Low |
| Lung | 1.2 | Low |
| Breast | 2.5 | Medium |
| Prostate | 3.1 | Medium |
| Kidney | 1.0 | Low |
| Liver | 0.5 | Low |
| Brain | 0.3 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A375 (melanoma) | 15.2 | High expression; used as positive control |
| MCF7 (breast cancer) | 4.8 | Moderate expression |
| PC3 (prostate cancer) | 6.1 | Moderate-high expression |
| HUVEC (endothelial) | 12.5 | High expression; endothelial marker |
| HEK293 (embryonic kidney) | 0.9 | Low expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.1573G>A (p.Gly525Arg) | Missense | <0.1% | Unknown; reported in COSMIC |
| c.1861C>T (p.Arg621Trp) | Missense | <0.1% | Unknown; reported in COSMIC |
| c.2029G>A (p.Glu677Lys) | Missense | <0.1% | Unknown; reported in COSMIC |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
No confirmed loss-of-function mutations reported in major databases.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Overexpression and copy number gains are associated with increased cell adhesion and metastasis in melanoma.
Dominant Negative (DN)
Not described for MCAM.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
| • cell adhesion (GO:0007155) | • protein binding (GO:0005515) |
| • plasma membrane (GO:0005886) | • integral component of membrane (GO:0016021) |
| • angiogenesis (GO:0001525) | • negative regulation of apoptotic process (GO:0043066) |
Pathways
• Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) - Homo sapiens (human)
• PI3K-Akt signaling pathway
• Focal adhesion
Protein Summary
MCAM (CD146) is a 113 kDa transmembrane glycoprotein with five immunoglobulin-like domains in its extracellular region. It mediates homophilic and heterophilic cell adhesion, and interacts with proteins such as VEGFR2 and Wnt5a to regulate angiogenesis and tumor progression. The protein is a marker for endothelial cells and is overexpressed in several cancers, particularly melanoma, where it correlates with metastatic potential.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCAM Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ3962 | Human | 4162 | Details Get a Quote |
| MCAM Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ26235 | Human | 4162 | Details Get a Quote |
| MCAM Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ26236 | Human | 4162 | Details Get a Quote |
| MCAM Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ26237 | Human | 4162 | Details Get a Quote |
