myelin-basic-protein and Neoplasms--Germ-Cell-and-Embryonal

Immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase (peroxidase-antiperoxidase, PAP) techniques for the demonstration of neural and non-neural cell markers are contributing greatly to increase the diagnostic accuracy of difficult tumors of the central nervous system. Well characterized nervous system markers include glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein, the three protein subunits of neurofilaments, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), myelin basic protein, and S-100 protein. The most important and reliable of these is GFA protein, which is widely in use for the immunohistochemical diagnosis of tumors of the glioma group. Its many practical applications are reviewed and illustrated. Other neural markers, in particular the specificity of NSE and S-100 protein, need to be critically evaluated. Problems related to the immunohistochemical diagnosis of central neuroepithelial tumors of putative neuroblastic origin remain complex and still need to be resolved. Non-neural markers, such as vimentin, desmin, cytokeratins, Factor VIII, alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and immunoglobulins have well defined, although more restricted, applications in surgical neuropathology.

Topics: alpha-Fetoproteins; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antigens; Carcinoma; Central Nervous System Diseases; Chorionic Gonadotropin; Cytoskeleton; Desmin; Factor VIII; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Immune Sera; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Immunoglobulins; Intermediate Filament Proteins; Keratins; Lymphoma; Medical Oncology; Meningeal Neoplasms; Myelin Basic Protein; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Neurology; Oligodendroglia; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase; S100 Proteins; Sarcoma; Vascular Diseases; Vimentin; von Willebrand Factor

Seventy-four canine neuroectodermal tumors were examined immunocytochemically for the presence of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Eleven oligodendrogliomas were examined for the presence of myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). Twenty-three tumors, including ten astrocytomas, one ependymoma, two glioblastomas, one case of gliomatosis, and nine poorly differentiated gliomas were positive for GFAP. Two astrocytomas, eleven oligodendrogliomas, eight ependymomas, four choroid plexus papillomas, two medulloblastomas, one glioblastoma, nine poorly differentiated gliomas, six cases of gliomatosis, and three unclassified tumors were GFAP-negative. In six tumors (including four that were classified as astrocytoma) GFAP staining was equivocal. All oligodendrogliomas were MBP-negative but three expressed MAG. It was concluded that many canine gliomas are not only morphologically but also immunocytochemically similar to human gliomas, but that a larger proportion of canine neuroectodermal growths are undifferentiated tumors.

Topics: Animals; Brain Neoplasms; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Histocytochemistry; Immunochemistry; Myelin Basic Protein; Myelin Proteins; Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal