title: Clear cell sarcoma shows immunoreactivity for microphthalmia transcription factor: further evidence for melanocytic differentiation.
abstract: Microphthalmia transcription factor, a melanocytic nuclear protein critical for the embryonic development and postnatal viability of melanocytes, is a master regulator in modulating extracellular signals. Recently, microphthalmia transcription factor expression was shown to be both a sensitive and specific marker of epithelioid melanoma. We investigated the sensitivity of D5, an anti-microphthalmia transcription factor antibody, for diagnosis of clear cell sarcoma (also known as malignant melanoma of soft parts). Immunoreactivity in a nuclear pattern for D5 was present in 8 of 12 (75%) tumors. D5 staining was strong in three tumors, moderate in two, and weak in three. S-100 protein expression was seen in all 12 cases that had clear cell sarcoma examined. HMB-45 staining was seen in 11 of 12 (92%) tumors. Focal Melan-A positivity was seen in 3 of 7 (43%) tumors. Although D5 was shown in a previous study to be a highly sensitive and specific marker for epithelioid melanomas, the results of this study expand the spectrum of tumors showing immunoreactivity for D5. D5 immunoreactivity in clear cell sarcoma provides further evidence for melanocytic differentiation in this unusual tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Granter
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Weilbaecher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quigley
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002648:Child; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018227:Sarcoma, Clear Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497234:MITF protein, human; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors