Immunohistochemical analysis of neural cell adhesion molecules: Differential expression in small round cell tumors of childhood and adolescence Journal Article


Authors: Garin-Chesa, P.; Fellinger, E. J.; Huvos, A. G.; Beresford, H. R.; Melamed, M. R.; Triche, T. J.; Rettig, W. J.
Article Title: Immunohistochemical analysis of neural cell adhesion molecules: Differential expression in small round cell tumors of childhood and adolescence
Abstract: The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was discovered in a search for cell surface antigens of chicken neurons that contribute to cell adhesion and pattern formation during development. Homologous adhesion molecules have been identified in several species, including humans. In this immunohistochemical study, the authors examine the role of human NCAM in tumor diagnosis. The authors used a monoclonal antibody (MAb), 5.1H11, to examine NCAM immunoreactivity in frozen sections of more than 450 tumors, including more than 80 small round cell tumors (SRCT) of childhood and adolescence (neuroblastomas, Ewing's sarcomas [ES], peripheral neuroepitheliomas [PN], primitive neuroectodermal tumors [PNET], esthesioneuroblastomas, malignant ectomesenchymoma, medulloblastomas, small cell osteosarcomas, mesenchymal chondrosarcomas, embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas, and lymphomas). The authors show that 1) neuroblastomas and primary brain tumors are NCAM+; 2) ES, most PN/PNETs, and melanomas are NCAM-; 3) embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas and various other sarcomas are NCAM+; 4) neuroendocrine tumors are NCAM+; 5) subsets of carcinomas of kidney, ovary, lung, and other organs are NCAM+; and 6) lymphoid tumors are NCAM-. Tests with normal fetal and adult tissues indicate that these findings reflect only in part the NCAM phenotypes of corresponding normal tissues. Notably the NCAM- phenotype of ES and PN/PNET is not explained by current histogenetic models for these tumors, which suggest a primitive neuroectodermal origin. Finally the authors show that NCAM expression among SRCT has an inverse relationship with the expression of p30/32MIC2, a cell surface antigen of ES and PN/PNET detected with MAb HBA71. These results suggest that immunohistochemical assays for NCAM and p30/32MIC2 expression may aid in the further characterization of SRCT of childhood and adolescence.
Keywords: patterns; monoclonal-antibodies; ncam; ewings-sarcoma; n-cam; blastoma; surface-antigen; lung-carcinoma
Journal Title: American Journal of Pathology
Volume: 139
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0002-9440
Publisher: Elsevier Science, Inc.  
Date Published: 1991-08-01
Start Page: 275
End Page: 286
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:A1991GA98200005
PROVIDER: wos
PMCID: PMC1886072
PUBMED: 1867319
Notes: Article -- Source: Wos
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. Andrew G Huvos
    289 Huvos
  2. Wolfgang J. Rettig
    85 Rettig
  3. Myron Melamed
    148 Melamed