title: N-myc oncogene amplification in a pediatric case of glioblastoma multiforme.
abstract: A sample of a primary brain tumor of glial cell origin was surgically removed from a 7-year-old girl. The histopathological analysis showed a heterogeneous tumor containing highly cellular areas composed of small, poorly differentiated cells with frequent mitoses suggestive of a glioblastoma multiforme. There were also areas presenting as features of lower-grade astrocytoma. Strong immunohistochemical staining for glial fibrillar acidic protein was demonstrated, while vimentin, neurofilament, and S-100 protein were all positive in just the astrocytic part of the tumor. The DNA extracted from a fresh tumor sample at diagnosis was processed by Southern blot analysis and hybridized with a 2.0 kb N-myc oncogene probe recognizing the first intron and the second exon of the human gene. A 20-fold amplification of the oncogene was found. The possible role of such a molecular alteration is discussed in light of the clinical presentation and histopathological features.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Research Laboratory, G. Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Stenger
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Garrè
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cama
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andreussi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brisigotti
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cornaglia-Ferraris
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D015342:DNA Probes; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015342:DNA Probes; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc