S100 immunophenotypes of uveal melanomas

J. Kan-Mitchell, N. Rao, D. M. Albert, L. J. Van Eldik, C. R. Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

To determine whether ocular melanomas are immunophenotypically identical to cutaneous melanomas, 34 primary and metastatic choroidal melanomas representing all major histotypes defined by the Callender's classification, plus one melanoma of the iris and one conjunctival melanoma, were subjected to a panel of immunostains designed to distinguish anaplastic biopsies of cutaneous melanomas from carcinomas and lymphomas. All ocular melanomas were found to express the intermediate filament vimentin but not keratin, and all but 2 were melanotic by immunostaining. Thirty-three of 34 (97%) choroidal melanomas were strongly stained with a rabbit polyclonal antibody (P-S100) developed against the S100 protein family. In contrast, none of 14 spindle cell type primary lesions was stained with a monoclonal antibody (MAB-079) specific for both S100α and S100β, the best-characterized S100 polypeptides. Furthermore, only 2 of 5 epithelioid and 3 of 10 mixed-cell-type melanomas were weakly reactive. Overall, 14.7% (5 of 29) were stained. In comparison, MAB079 stained 85% of all cutaneous melanomas. Five metastases of choroidal melanomas (spindle B, epithelioid, and mixed cell types) from different organ sites also were stained by P-S100 but not by MAB079. These findings were corroborated by immunostaining with another monoclonal antibody (MAB4D4) specific for S100β. Differential staining by the polyclonal but not the monoclonal antibodies suggests the possible presence of a variant S100 polypeptide(s) in choroidal melanomas. Since S100α, S100β, and related proteins appear to be physiologically important, additional studies of these S100 proteins may shed light on the etiology or pathology of choroidal melanomas.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1492-1496
Number of pages5
JournalInvestigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Volume31
Issue number8
StatePublished - 1990
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • S100 protein
  • S100α
  • S100β
  • choroidal melanoma
  • immunohistochemistry

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ophthalmology
  • Sensory Systems
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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