EXPRESSION OF NEURAL CELL-ADHESION MOLECULES AND NEUROFILAMENT PROTEIN ISOFORMS IN SKELETAL-MUSCLE TUMORS

In a series of rhabdomyosarcomas, the expression of neural cell adhesi on molecules (NCAM) and neurofilament isoforms was probed in frozen se ctions. It was found that NCAM was widely expressed in rhabdomyosarcom as without relation to subtype or differentiation level. Neurofilament isoforms were found throughout all subtypes but were largely restrict ed to those neurofilament isoforms that are expressed early in neuroge nesis, that is, poorly phosphorylated low and medium-weight isoforms, It was concluded that the expression of these ''neural'' markers is wi despread and does not signify a neural tumor. Copyright (C) 1998 by W. B. Saunders Company.