S-100 protein in melanocytic tumors. An immunohistochemical investigation of benign and malignant melanocytic tumors and metastases of malignant melanoma and a characterization of the antigen in comparison to human brain.

An immunohistochemical investigation regarding the presence of S-100 protein in benign and malignant, primary and metastatic melanocytic tumors is reported. The studied series consisted of 15 benign nevi, 3 blue nevi, 4 juvenile melanomas, 1 balloon cell nevus, 30 primary malignant melanomas of skin, mucous membranes and conjunctiva and 30 metastatic malignant melanomas. The immunohistochemical analysis showed positive staining for S-100 protein within the majority of the tumor cells in all benign tumors examined, except the balloon cell nevus, as well as in all the primary and metastatic malignant melanomas, including low-differentiated epitheloid or spindle-cell types without demonstrable melanin pigment. The results indicate that S-100 protein is a valuable marker for melanocytic tumors, especially in the fairly frequent dilemma of malignant melanoma presenting as a solitary non-pigmented metastasis of uncharacteristic light-microscopic appearance, and without known primary tumor. A characterization and quantification of the S-100 protein immunoreactivity in 5 metastatic malignant melanomas is presented. Using immuno-electrophoresis, the presence of 3 antigenic S-100 determinants was demonstrated within homogenates from the malignant melanomas, including the previously characterized S-100 A (alpha/beta) and S-100 B (beta/beta), and suggesting the presence of a hitherto undescribed variant of S-100 protein, possibly consisting of 2 alpha-subunits. Using rocket immuno-electrophoresis, the amount of S-100 protein was estimated.