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. 2017 Dec;65(12):687-703.
doi: 10.1369/0022155417733676. Epub 2017 Oct 3.

Neuron-Specific Enolase as an Immunohistochemical Marker Is Better Than Its Reputation

Patricia Mjønes  1   2   3 , Liv Sagatun  4   2 , Ivar S Nordrum  1   3 , Helge L Waldum  4   2
Affiliations

Neuron-Specific Enolase as an Immunohistochemical Marker Is Better Than Its Reputation

Patricia Mjønes et al. J Histochem Cytochem. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

The diagnosis of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) may be challenging and is based on typical morphological features and positive staining for antibodies of neuroendocrine differentiation. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) being a cytosolic marker may be useful in this setting. NSE is by many considered nonspecific, due to the finding of this marker in tumors considered not to be of neuroendocrine origin. Our aim was to determine whether this is true and whether NSE is more specific than previously realized. We examined 178 tumors (carcinomas and NENs) from breast, lung, stomach, and kidney using immunohistochemistry with the following markers: chromogranin A, synaptophysin, CD56, secretagogin, and NSE. Expression of NSE was compared with that of the other markers. NSE was expressed in 138 (78%) of all tumors. Of the NSE-expressing tumors, 95 (68%) cases expressed one or more additional neuroendocrine markers. The staining intensity and number of NSE-expressing tumor cells were highest among tumors of neuroendocrine origin and clear cell renal cell carcinomas. A positive association was found between NSE expression and the number of additional neuroendocrine markers expressed in each of the tumors. Practically all tumors positive for an accepted neuroendocrine marker also expressed NSE.

Keywords: CgA; NSE; carcinoid; chromogranin A; neuroendocrine tumor; neuron-specific enolase; secretagogin; synaptophysin.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Lung with typical carcinoid tumor illustrated by (A) hematoxylin, eosin, and saffron (HES); (B) chromogranin A; (C) synaptophysin; (D) CD56; (E) neuron-specific enolase (NSE); and (F) Secretagogin. Scale bar = 100 µm.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Lung with small cell lung carcinoma illustrated by (A) hematoxylin, eosin, and saffron (HES); (B) chromogranin A; (C) synaptophysin; (D) CD56; (E) neuron-specific enolase (NSE); and (F) Secretagogin. Scale bar = 100 µm.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Adenocarcinoma of intestinal type (according to Laurén) illustrated by (A) hematoxylin and eosin (HE), (B) chromogranin A, (C) synaptophysin, (D) CD56, (E) neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and (F) Secretagogin. Scale bar = 100 µm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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