title: Diagnostic immunohistochemistry of neuroblastic tumors.
abstract: Eighteen commercially available antibodies were applied to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded neuroblastomas (NBLs, n = 20), ganglioneuroblastomas (GNBLs, n = 7), and ganglioneuromas (GNs, n = 7) to assess their reliability as markers for neuroendocrine differentiation and degree of tumor cell maturation. Incubations with a monoclonal antibody to neuron-specific enolase resulted in positive reactions in all tumors, with consistently strong staining intensities in moderate and well-differentiated NBLs, GNBLs, and GNs. Antibodies to dopamine beta-hydroxylase and protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 reacted with all tumors except two NBLs. Among the antibodies directed to chromogranins and related proteins, HISL19 was most reliable (33/34) followed by endocrine granule constituent (EGC) (30/34), chromogranin A (LK2H10) (21/34), and chromogranin A + B (CGA + B) (19/34), in proving the existence of endocrine granules in tumor cells and Neurofilament (70 + 200 kD) immunoreactivity was demonstrated in all tumors except two undifferentiated NBLs. S-100 protein-immunoreactive cells were visualized with increasing frequency in highly differentiated GNBLs and GNs, whereas Leu 7 immunoreactivity was restricted to ganglioneuromas. We conclude that antibodies directed to neuron-specific enolase, HISL19, dopamine beta-hydroxylase, neurofilaments, EGC, LK2H10, and leucocyte common antigen represent markers that might be useful in the discrimination of GNBLs from non-neuroendocrine round and small cell tumors in routinely processed tissue. Antibodies to neuron-specific enolase, PGP 9.5, different chromogranins, neurofilaments, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and S-100 protein may help to determine the grade of tumor cell maturation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Graz School of Medicine, Austria.
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wirnsberger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ziervogel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Höfler
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000032:analysis; D005729:Ganglioneuroma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D002864:Chromogranins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009418:S100 Proteins; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase