Glial fibrillary acidic protein and keratin expression by benign and malignant nerve sheath tumors

doi:10.1016/0046-8177(89)90228-1

Human Pathology

Volume 20, Issue 11, November 1989, Pages 1089-1096

https://doi.org/10.1016/0046-8177(89)90228-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of 59 ultrastructurally confirmed nerve sheath tumors (NSTs) that included 27 benign schwannomas, five neurofibromas, and 27 malignant schwannomas were studied by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method using antibodies directed against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), keratin, S-100 protein, vimentin, and desmin. GFAP was expressed by 33% of the benign schwannomas, 40% of the neurofibromas, and 7% of the malignant schwannomas. Keratin was expressed by 7% of the benign schwannomas and 4% of the malignant schwannomas. S-100 protein was expressed by 100% of the benign NSTs and by 40% of the malignant schwannomas. Vimentin was observed in 100% of the benign NSTs and in 85% of the malignant schwannomas. None of the cases stained for desmin. GFAP and cytokeratin expression could not be predicted on the basis of tumor light microscopy or ultrastructure. These findings are of practical importance in routine surgical pathology, particularly with respect to the differential diagnosis of gliomas located in the central nervous system and in immunohistochemical studies of peripherally located, poorly differentiated neoplasms.

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Citation Excerpt :
In our series, 13/26 cases showed immunoreactivity for GFAP. In particular, GFAP was expressed in 58% of BPNSTs and in 42% of malignant forms supporting the use of this marker to differentiate BPNSTs from MPNSTs (Gray et al., 1989; Weiss and Goldblum, 2001; Chijiwa et al., 2004). SMA is a marker that generally identifies neoplasms of muscle or vascular origin.
Feline cutaneous nerve sheath tumours (CNSTs) are uncommonly reported in the skin, since they are underestimated relative to the more common spindle cell tumours of soft tissue. In this study, 26 nerve sheath tumours selected from 337 skin neoplasms of cats were examined. Histologically, they were classified into malignant (MPNSTs) and benign tumours (BPNSTs) based on degree of cellular atypia and polymorphism as well as mitotic rate and diffuse necrosis. CPNSTs were tipically characterised by Antoni A pattern, in some cases associated with Antoni B pattern. In the malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs) the polymorphism was marked, while it was mild to moderate in the benign forms (BPNSTs). In the MPNSTs the mitotic activity was generally higher than in the BPNSTs. In five cases, including three MPNSTs and two BPNSTs, there were multinucleated giant cells. Necrotic foci occurred in a BPNST and in two MPNSTs, while osseous/chondroid metaplasia was found in two cases.
Immunohistochemically, all the tumours showed a marked diffuse vimentin expression. S-100 protein was expressed in 17 cases, including 81.8% of BPNSTs and 57.14% of MPNSTs. Twenty-five tumours expressed NSE and twenty-four cases showed immunoreaction for laminin. Thirteen tumours were positive for GFAP, while five tumours were positive for SMA. PGP 9.5 expression was detected in all cases, except for two MPNSTs. NGFR was expressed in eleven cases, including four MPNSTs and seven BPNSTs. Ki67 was expressed in twenty tumours without any relationship with morphologic malignancy of the neoplasm.
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^∗: Present address: Department of Pathology, Division of Dermatopathology (F-309), The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical School, New York, NY.

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Original contributionGlial fibrillary acidic protein and keratin expression by benign and malignant nerve sheath tumors

Abstract

Hum Pathol

Benign Tumors of Peripheral Nerves and Malignant Tumors of Peripheral Nerves

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. An immunohistochemical study of 62 cases

Am J Clin Pathol

An immunoperoxidase study of S-100 protein distribution in normal and neoplastic tissue

Am J Surg Pathol

Histopathologic and immunohistochemical study of malignant tumors of peripheral nerve sheath (malignant schwannoma)

Cancer

Value of S-100 protein in the diagnosis of soft tissue tumors with particular reference to benign and malignant schwann cell tumors

Lab Invest

Immunohistochemical recognition of human nerve sheath tumors by anti-Leu 7(HNK-1) monoclonal antibody

Acta Neuropathol

Intermediate filaments of schwann cells

J Neurochem

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (malignant schwannomas). An immunohistochemical study of 29 cases

Am J Surg Pathol

Molecular identity, distribution and heterogeneity of glial fibrillary acidic protein: An immunoblotting and immunohistochemical study of Schwann cells, satellite cells, enteric glia and astrocytes

J Neurocytol

Glial fibrillary acidic protein in Schwann cells: Fact or artifact

J Histochem Cytochem

A protein related to glial filaments in Schwann cells

Ann NY Acad Sci

The intermediate filament complement of the spectrum of nerve sheath neoplasms

Lab Invest

Expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in peripheral nerve sheath tumors

Am J Surg Pathol

GFA protein reactivity in nerve sheath tumors: A polyvalent and monoclonal antibody study

J Neuropathol Exp Neurol

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity in peripheral nerve sheath tumors

Ultrastruct Pathol

Original contribution
Glial fibrillary acidic protein and keratin expression by benign and malignant nerve sheath tumors