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). Here, TOP2A is linked to melanoma.