Immunohistochemical demonstration of neuron specific enolase (NSE) on cutaneous nerves: comparative study using NSE and S-100 protein antibodies on denervated skin.

The presence of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S-100 protein, which are nerve specific proteins, was immunohistochemically investigated on the cutaneous nerves. NSE was found in the axons of the cutaneous nerve bundles and the terminal axons in the Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles of the normal human and macaque skin. S-100 protein was found in the Schwann cells, lamellar cells of the Meissner corpuscles, and inner core cells of the Pacinian corpuscles. After denervation of the ulnar nerve on macaque, NSE on axons of the cutaneous nerves and Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles was completely disappeared in the 5th digit. However, S-100 protein was still maintained in the Schwann cells and Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles in the same digit. From these results, we conclude that the comparative immunohistochemical staining of NSE and S-100 protein is simple and reliable method to demonstrate the cutaneous nerves in normal and pathological conditions.