AXL and melanoma: However, a recent study also reported that decreased/loss of MITF expression in conjunction with an increased expression/activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), like AXL and EGFR in melanoma cells correlated with increased cross-resistance toward MAPK pathway inhibitors and the induction of an invasive melanoma phenotype, suggesting that the oncogenic role of MITF is modulated by its cross talk with RTK pathways (159).