S-100 protein and neuron specific enolase (NSE) expression by chordomas in relation to the composition of their stromal mucosubstances.

The immunoreactivity of S-100 protein and neuron specific enolase (NSE.) was correlated with the composition of stromal glycosaminoglycans in chordomas and human notochords, in a combined histochemical and immunohistochemical study. We found that S-100 protein is negative in notochordal and chordoma cells in the absence of stromal mucosubstances or in the presence of small quantities of hyaluronic acid. The positivity of S-100 immunoreaction was found to be related to the presence of stromal glycosaminoglycans of the chondroitine sulfate A and C type. NSE. was found positive in cells presenting features of high metabolic activity. Consequently S-100 protein and NSE. immunoreactivity cannot have any cytogenetic implications, but they could be considered as markers indicating specific cell-stromal functional interactions.