HNK-1 antibody detects an antigen expressed on neuroectodermal cells.

The HNK-1 antibody known to define a subpopulation of human lymphocytes with natural killer and killer cell activities was shown to detect a common neuroectodermal antigen. Most tumor lines and paraffin-embedded tumors and normal tissues of neuroectodermal origin were specifically stained by HNK-1. Lines and tissues of other derivations were negative except a trophoblastic tumor line and a percentage of Ewing's sarcomas, whose histogenesis is poorly understood. These data indicate that HNK-1 antibody could be of interest in clinical histopathology but cannot be considered as specific for a lymphocyte subset.