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Prominent EMA ‘dots’ in tumour‐induced B ergmann gliosis
Author(s) -
Gelpi Ellen,
Bombi Josep A,
MartinezSaez Elena,
Caral Luis,
Ribalta Teresa
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/his.12260
Subject(s) - pathology , lipofuscin , pilocytic astrocytoma , immunohistochemistry , gliosis , biology , cerebellum , antigen , endoplasmic reticulum , medulloblastoma , astrocytoma , medicine , glioma , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer research , immunology , neuroscience
Aims To describe an unusual pattern of epithelial membrane antigen ( EMA ) immunoreactivity in highly proliferative human B ergmann glia. Methods and results An immunohistochemical study was performed of postmortem cerebellar tissue from 18 adult patients with cerebellar damage of various aetiologies and 15 biopsies of diverse adult and paediatric cerebellar tumours. We observed marked proliferation of B ergmann glia with unusual prominent dot‐like cytoplasmic EMA immunoreactivity in a case with extensive leptomeningeal sarcomatosis. Similar staining was not observed in association with other types of cerebellar pathology, except for other neoplastic conditions, such as leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, adult medulloblastoma, and pilocytic astrocytoma in children. At an ultrastructural level, the index case showed prominent endoplasmic reticulum with some intermediate filaments and lipofuscin granules, but no structures related to cilia or microvilli were observed. Conclusions We consider that prominent EMA dots in B ergmann glia might represent excessive activation induced by an overlying leptomeningeal tumour that stimulates the expression of early developmental antigens. This observation suggests modulation of the glial phenotype when exposed to a neoplastic microenvironment that, in turn, might influence the regenerative potential of B ergmann glia.