Arie Kant

Antibodies to intermediate filament proteins in the immunohistochemical identification of human tumours: an overview

SummaryIntermediate-sized filament proteins (IFP) are tissue specific in that antibodies to keratin, vimentin, desmin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the neurofilament proteins can distinguish between cells of epithelial and mesenchymal origin as well as of myogenic and neural origin respectively. Malignant cells retain their tissue-specific IFP, which makes it possible to use these antibodies in tumour diagnosis. Carcinomas are exclusively detected by antibodies to keratin. Monoclonal antibodies to keratin have allowed the differentiation between subgroups of epithelial tumours until now between adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Lymphomas, melanomas and several soft tissue tumours are distinctly recognized by antibodies to vimentin. On the other hand, rhabdomyosarcomas and leiomyosarcomas are positive for desmin, while astrocytomas give a strong reaction with GFAP antibodies. Thus, antibodies to IFP are useful tools for differential diagnosis in surgical pathology.

Differential diagnosis of human carcinomas, sarcomas and their metastases using antibodies to intermediate-sized filaments☆

Intermediate filaments (IF) are tissue-specific in so far that epithelial, mesenchymal, muscle and neural tissue types can be distinguished by the use of specific antibodies to keratin, vimentin, desmin and neurofilaments or glial filaments respectively. We have examined the possibility of using these sera in the differential diagnosis of human malignant tumors. Using antisera to human skin keratin and bovine lens vimentin we could differentiate between carcinomas (keratin +) and sarcomas (vimentin +). Furthermore, we could show that when cells become malignant and metastasize they retain their original IF and do not develop additional IF systems. We conclude that antibodies to IF proteins are powerful tools in the hands of a pathologist as an additional method to improve identification of tumors and their metastases.

The use of antibodies to intermediate filament proteins in the differential diagnosis of lymphoma versus metastatic carcinoma

SummaryForty-nine cases encompassing 16 different types of malignant lymphoma were examined for their intermediate filament protein (IFP) type by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy of cryostat sections. In all cases, vimentin was shown to be the only IFP type detectable in these tumours. Lymphomas are negative for keratin and desmin, which are characteristic for benign and malignant epithelial or muscular tissues respectively. In addition, eighteen cases are described in which antibodies to intermediate filament proteins were used successfully to distinguish between lymphoma and metastatic carcinoma where differential diagnosis was difficult or impossible on the basis of routine histology.