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Tissue‐array based analysis of peripheral nerve sheath tumors
Author(s) -
Pytel Peter,
Gong Can,
Tretiakova Maria,
Montag Anthony
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a389-c
Subject(s) - sox10 , neurofibromatosis , pathology , neurofibroma , immunohistochemistry , plexiform neurofibroma , neural crest , medicine , schwann cell , malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor , staining , biology , gene , biochemistry
Currently there is only a limited set of diagnostic immunohistochemical markers for peripheral nerve sheath tumors as well as markers that might help to stratify these tumors into subgroups susceptible to specific targeted therapies. Details of details of the transcriptional regulation of normal Schwann cell development have been uncovered in recent years. SOX10, PAX7 and AP2‐alpha have been identified as important for this process. Methods A set of tissue array blocks were assembled with samples from 34 malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), 76 schwannomas and 105 neurofibromas. These were cut for immunohistochemical staining according to standard protocols. The staining was graded as 0 to 3+ and averaged over the tissue cores that represented a given tumor. The MPNSTs included sporadic as well as neurofibromatosis (NF) 1 associated cases. The schwannomas include sporadic and NF2 associated ones. The neurofibromas include localized, diffuse and plexiform variants. Results (percentage of cases showing 0, 1+, 2+ and 3+ staining) These markers did not show any differences between subgroups like NF1 and sporadic MPNSTs, NF2 and sporadic schwannomas, or different neurofibromas subtypes. Conclusion SOX10 and AP2‐alpha as transcription factors involved in normal neural crest and Schwann cell development are expressed in a significant proportion of all the tested tumors. Neurofibromas show significantly more EGFR expression than Schwannomas. EGFR and PAX7 are both positive in subgroups of sporadic and NF‐associated MPNSTs.