Cutaneous histiocytosis X. The presence of S-100 protein and its use in diagnosis

Abstract

The cellular localization of glial S-100 protein was investigated in paraffin-embedded sections of cutaneous histiocytosis X and in a variety of cutaneous infiltrative disorders, including juvenile xanthogranuloma, necrobiotic xanthogranuloma, papular xanthoma, eruptive histiocytoma, and reticulohistiocytosis. Immunoperoxidase staining with a rabbit anti-calf brain-S-100 antibody demonstrated strong and consistent activity in atypical histiocytes in all histiocytosis X specimens. No detectable S-100 protein was demonstrated in either histiocytes or giant cells in the non-X histiocytic disorders investigated. Positive controls were included within both groups of disorders in respect to melanocyte, epidermal Langerhans' cell, and dermal Schwann's cell staining. These findings are interpreted as evidence for diversity in the mononuclear phagocyte system and demonstrate the practicality of such a simple test in diagnostic problems involving infiltrative histiocytic disorders of the skin.

Adult Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Limited to the Skin

“…With a clinical suspicion, the practitioner may easily make a diagnosis by biopsy and find the typical cells. Biopsy specimens reveal an infiltrate of mononuclear cells that express S100 protein and CD1a and contain Birbeck granules on ultrastructural examination, all those features characteristic of Langerhans cells [4, 18, 31, 32, 33]. …”

HMB-45, S-100, NK1/C3, and MART-1 in metastatic melanoma

“…Furthermore, S-100 is expressed in multiple other cell types found in normal lymph nodes, including dendritic cells, certain sinus macrophages, and Schwann cells of node-associated nerves. 6,7 As a result, S-100 staining of normal structures in lymph nodes may obscure the presence of a small focus of metastatic melanoma.…”

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for children with histiocytic disorders: use of TBI and omission of etoposide in the conditioning regimen

“…The diagnosis of LCH was based on standard criteria and was confirmed by tissue biopsy. [15][16][17] The diagnosis of HLH was based on the criteria specified by the Histiocyte Society. 18 Two of the patients with HLH had a family history of the disorder.…”