[Immunohistochemical studies of the histogenesis of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans]

Paraffin-embedded tissue sections taken from 16 patients with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans were stained by means of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique using antibodies against S 100 protein, NSE, Leu 7, lysozyme, alpha-1 antitrypsin, alpha-1 antichymotrypsin, cytokeratin, desmin, vimentin, and factor VIII. Most of the tumor cells showed positive reactions to vimentin. Only 1-3% of the cells within the tumor area answered to the histiocytic markers lysozyme, alpha-1 antitrypsin, and alpha-1 antichymotrypsin. The remaining antibodies investigated did not react with the tumor cells. Our results support a fibroblastic, and contradict a neural or histiocytic, histogenesis of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.