S-100 beta has a neuronal localisation in the rat hindbrain revealed by an antigen retrieval method

The localisation of S-100 in mammalian CNS neurons has been under debate for more than two decades. We address the question with two polyclonal and two new monoclonal antibodies. The specificity and the distribution in rat brain is based on an antigen retrieval method. We present evidence that aldehyde fixatives mask S-100 beta in neurons, and that the immunoreactivity is retrieved after trypsinisation. Neuronal S-100 beta is also detected in unfixed and ethanol fixed sections. The neuronal immunoreactivity is partly solubilised from unfixed tissue sections with 2.5 mM EDTA and is completely extracted with 2.5 mM EDTA and 1% Triton X-100. Most of the glial S-100 beta is washed out from unfixed tissue sections with saline. S-100 beta has distinct distribution in neurons of the hindbrain, i.e., the brainstem and cerebellum, but is not observed in the forebrain. One of the monoclonal antibodies immunostained neither neurons nor glia when it had been absorbed with S-100 crosslinked to nitrocellulose membranes. The distribution of neuronal S-100 beta differed from that of other neuronal calcium binding proteins, such as calbindin and parvalbumin. It was confined mainly to cholinergic neurons of the hindbrain. The presence of S-100 beta in distinct neuronal populations may indicate neurotrophic effects of S-100 beta. The notion is supported by the capability of S-100 to cause neurite outgrowth in vitro.