title: Detection and quantification of S-100 protein in ocular tissues and fluids from patients with intraocular melanoma.
abstract: S-100 protein is a 21,000 dalton acidic calcium-binding protein present in ocular melanomas and some normal ocular tissues. Ocular fluids and extracts of ocular tumours were examined by a sensitive radioimmunoassay that could detect less than 5 ng of S-100 protein in minute volumes of fluid. Three ocular melanoma biopsy specimens had S-100 protein at levels between 25 and 1300 ng/ml, comparable to that found in a cutaneous melanoma biopsy specimen (1000 ng/ml). (SI conversion: ng/ml = microgram/l.) Six melanoma culture lines had 1000 to 125,000 ng/ml. Four lymphoblastoid cultures had less than 2 ng/ml, and three colon carcinoma cultures had 180 ng/ml. Subretinal fluid from 23 melanoma-containing eyes had 10 to 76,800 ng/ml. Lesser amounts were found in eyes with small, anteriorly located, lightly pigmented tumours. Vitreous from 3 melanoma-containing eyes had 10,000 to 11,000 ng/ml. Vitreous obtained from three eyes during tractional retinal detachment repair had 500 to 1600 ng/ml, and vitreous obtained at necropsy from six normal eyes had 2 to 120 ng/ml. Aqueous from six melanoma-containing eyes had 10 to 30 ng/ml, levels not significantly different from those observed in three normal eyes (80-120 ng/ml). This approach provides new insight into the interaction of ocular tumours and adjacent ocular fluids and may, with more specific tumour markers, have diagnostic applications.
authors.affiliation: Armand Hammer Laboratories, Division of Surgical Oncology, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA School of Medicine 90024.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Saxton
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Damato
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Foulds
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Herschman
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Foos
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Straatsma
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000032:analysis; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000032:analysis*; D012160:Retina / Q000032:analysis; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009418:S100 Proteins