Olfactory Neuroblastoma: Additional Immunohistochemical Characterization

Abstract

A panel of 12 antibodies was used to further characterize the immunohistochemical staining profile of olfactory neuroblastoma. The following results were obtained for the 11 neoplasms that were immunostained: neuron-specific enolase 11/11(+), S-100 protein 8/11(+), microtubule-associated protein-2 8/11(+), class III beta-tubulin isotype 9/11(+), neurofilament 200 kD 8/ 11(+), synaptophysin 7/ll(+), glial fibrillary acidic protein 1/ 11(+), chromogranin A 1/11(+), vimentin 1/11(+), keratin (CAM 5.2) 4/11(+), keratin (AEI/AE3) 0/11(+), and epithelial membrane antigen 0/11(+). Expression of two intermediate filaments was found in 4 of the 11 tumors. The authors' data showing that 72% of olfactory neuroblastomas were S-100 protein positive and only one was immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein agree with other published immunohistochemical studies. With only a single exception, each of the 11 neoplasms was labeled with one or more antibodies that detect neuronal cytoskeletal proteins (class III beta-tubulin isotype, microtubuleassociated protein-2, neurofilament 200 kD). These immunohistochemical results are complementary to the reported electron microscopic findings of intermediate filaments and microtubules in olfactory neuroblastomas.