mart-1-antigen and Molluscum-Contagiosum

Melan-A is one of the most commonly used immunohistochemical assays (IHC) in dermatopathology laboratories to detect the presence and outline the distribution of melanocytes. It is a cytoplasmic stain that detects a melanocyte-specific cytoplasmic protein involved in the formation of stage II melanosomes. Clinically, Melan-A is primarily used to detect and confirm melanocytic tumors although it is also positively expressed in adrenal cortical tumors and sex cord stromal tumors. We found that Melan-A also detected and highlighted Henderson-Patterson bodies of molluscum poxvirus. To determine if other melanocytic markers detect molluscum contagiosum bodies, S-100, HMB-45, MITF, and SOX-10 were also tested. In 15 tested molluscum cases, Melan-A stains were positive in all cases, whereas the other tested melanocytic markers were negative. Our results confirm that Melan-A is very sensitive in detecting molluscum contagiosum bodies and could be clinically useful to supplement the hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) in cases that are very inflamed or only have limited biopsy material.

Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Humans; MART-1 Antigen; Melanocytes; Melanoma-Specific Antigens; Molluscum Contagiosum

Topics: Antibodies; Biopsy; Condylomata Acuminata; Cross Reactions; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Inclusion Bodies, Viral; MART-1 Antigen; Molluscum Contagiosum; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Mucous Membrane; Skin