Neuropilin 2 Expression and Function in Melanocytes and Melanoma

The study investigated the role of Neuropilin 2 (NRP2) in melanocytes and melanoma, revealing that NRP2 was strongly expressed in the bulge region of hair follicles where melanocyte stem cells are located. It was found that both human and mouse primary melanocytes express NRP2, while keratinocytes do not. The study suggested that NRP2 functions as a receptor for SEMA3F, as treatment with SEMA3F inhibited the migration of melanocytes and melanoma cell lines. In melanoma, cells downregulated SEMA3F and upregulated NRP2, with NRP2 expression correlating with disease progression in patient samples. This indicated that NRP2 could be a potential biomarker for malignant melanoma and might have clinical significance in conditions like alopecia and vitiligo.