NEK2 and melanoma: Besides DNA repair genes, ectopic CD271 expression impinged on target genes, which have previously been associated with melanoma relapse and metastasis.18, 46 Our survey of potential CD271-associated genes in publicly available melanoma expression profiles recovered as many as 110 CD271-responsive genes predominantly expressed in metastases, among them the NEK2 gene (Never in mitosis gene A-related kinase 2), previously found associated with drug resistance in myeloma33 and RAD51AP1 previously associated with metastasis of melanoma and breast cancer18, 47 as well as TOP2A (topoisomerase II).