Monoclonal antibody MT1: a marker for Langerhans cell histiocytosis

Langerhans cells and their pathologic counterparts can be identified in paraffin sections using immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein. This procedure is useful in confirming a diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). However, many other cell types are also positive for S-100 protein. Positive staining for CD1 (Leu 6) supports a diagnosis of LCH, but requires frozen tissue. A panel of antibodies would be desirable in confirming a diagnosis of LCH, particularly if these antibodies could be used on paraffin-embedded material. We studied the pattern of staining for commercially available monoclonal antibodies MT1, MT2, MB2, and LN1, which were originally marketed as lymphocyte markers, using paraffin-embedded tissue sections of cases of LCH. In all 20 cases pathologic Langerhans cells stained positively with MT1 only. Various other S-100 protein-positive lesions were also examined with MT1 and were consistently negative for MT1. Other cutaneous histiocytic and mast cell lesions were positive with MT1, but S-100 protein negative. Our results demonstrate that the monoclonal antibody MT1 serves as an additional marker for LCH and, together with S-100 protein, would make up a diagnostic panel of antibodies for LCH to be used on routine paraffin-embedded sections.