Immunofluorescent localization of intermediate filament subunits for the differential diagnosis of malignant melanoma.
Intermediate filament subunits in normal cells and in their malignant derivatives can be used as specific markers for their histogenetic origins. We have studied five neoplasms of the skin in which positive identification of vimentin containing intermediate filaments by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy helped to establish the diagnosis of malignant melanoma. All of the neoplasms included in this study posed problems in differential diagnosis by conventional light microscopy and yielded equivocal results by conventional histochemistry. Thus, definitive distinction between poorly differentiated carcinoma and poorly differentiated melanoma could not be made by conventional microscopy. In all of the neoplasms described here, immunolabeling with antibodies against different intermediate filaments demonstrated positive staining for vimentin only. This intermediate filament subunit is present in melanocytes (as well as in many mesenchymal cells) but not in epithelial cells. Our study indicates that this technique may be valuable in differential diagnosis of malignant melanoma, particularly in instances where cells lack melanin or show other atypical morphologic features.
Shuster
S
S
Department of Pathology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel.
Huszar
M
M
Geiger
B
B
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003893:Desmin / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000032:analysis*
D003893:Desmin; D008543:Melanins; D014746:Vimentin; D007633:Keratins