CD228

CD228 corresponds to melanotransferrin, the p97 antigen encoded by the MFI2 gene, a transferrin-homologous iron-binding glycoprotein anchored to the membrane through a GPI moiety. Originally isolated from melanoma cells as p97, it is highly expressed in melanomas and supports iron acquisition and transport, with proposed roles at the blood-brain barrier. CD228 is found in fetal gut and in brain capillary endothelium, while its expression in normal adult melanocytes is far lower than in melanoma, making it a target of interest for melanoma imaging and antibody-based therapy. Its expression has also been reported in lymphomas and other tumors, and MFI2 is used in studies of tumor iron metabolism.