A novel marker of Schwann cells and myelin of the peripheral nervous system

Abstract

Cellular markers are useful in the immunohistochemical studies of normal and pathological tissues. Herein, the development of a monoclonal antibody, Schwann/2E, which reacts with Schwann cells and myelin of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is described. The Schwann/2E antibody was secreted by a hybridoma of mouse myeloma cells and mouse spleen cells that were immunized in vivo with a cytoskeletal fraction of the human spinal nerve. This antibody immunostained formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human, rat, and mouse tissue by the indirect immunoperoxidase method. Schwann cells and myelin of the PNS were intensely labeled by the Schwann/2E antibody. Both the nuclei and cytoplasm of the Schwann cells were labeled. As shown by a comparative light and an electron microscopic study, the Schwann/2E antibody immunoreacted with the Schwann cells that had myelinated axons, but not with those that had unmyelinated axons. The endoneurial fibroblast was not immunolabeled. This antibody slightly stained the endothelial cells of the lung and kidney. Myelin and oligodendroglia of the central nervous system did not react with the Schwann/2E antibody. The Schwann/2E antigen was stable in several histological fixatives. These results indicate that, under normal and pathological conditions, the Schwann/2E antibody could be a useful immunohistochemical marker of Schwann cells and myelin of the PNS.

Schwann Cells Are Removed from the Spinal Cord after Effecting Recovery from Paraplegia

“…Fiftymicrometer-thick sections were cut on a freezing microtome and stained with either (1) luxol fast blue, (2) cresyl violet, (3) luxol fast blue with cresyl violet counterstaining (K lüver and Barrera stain), or (4) hematoxylin and eosin. Immunocytochemistry was performed according to standard protocols at antibody dilutions recommended by the manufacturer using primary antisera directed against the following: Schwann cells (Schwann /2E) (Dr. Y. Nakazato, Gunma University, Gunma, Japan) (Arai et al, 1998); protein P zero (P 0 ) (Dr. J. Archelos, Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria); p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75) (Dr. L. Reichardt, University of C alifornia, San Francisco, CA); glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; Roche-Boehringer, Indianapolis, I N; C lone G-A-5); oligodendrocytes (M AB1580) (Chemicon, Temecula, CA,); OX-8, San Diego,CA); ED1 (Serotec, Raleigh, NC); C TB (List Biologic, C ampbell, CA); or saporin (Advanced Targeting Systems). We found that the Schwann /2E and P 0 antibodies produced equivalent staining, and therefore both antibodies were used to identif y myelinating Schwann cells.…”

Systematic immunohistochemical profiling of 378 brain tumors with 37 antibodies using tissue microarray technology

“…For research, the development and application of new diagnostic biomarkers are necessary. Our laboratory has been establishing many polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against nervous system antigens [1,1719,2631]. We are already using some of these antibodies for routine pathological diagnosis.…”

Schwannoma‐like tumor in the anterior cranial fossa immunonegative for Leu7 but immunopositive for Schwann/2E

“…Schwann/2E was first introduced as a monoclonal antibody that reacts with Schwann cells and myelin of the peripheral nervous system . Although the staining pattern of Schwann/2E in human specimens has not been well explored yet, a previous study where immunoreactivities of S‐100 and Schwann/2E in various types of peripheral nerve tumors were examined, showed that 70 of 92 schwannomas (78 %) were positive for Schwann/2E, whereas all of six malignant schwannomas and 12 neurofibromas were negative .…”

“…Here, we report two cases of morphologically schwannoma‐like tumor in the anterior cranial fossa that was immunonegative for Leu7 but immunopositive for Schwann/2E, a marker of Schwann cells, and discuss the origin of these tumors.…”