Tubular adenoma of the choroid plexus: evidence for glandular differentiation of the neuroepithelium.
A case of tubular adenoma arising in the right ventricular choroid plexus of a 4-month-old boy is described. A basic pattern of neoplastic glandular epithelium and lack of papillary architecture distinguished this tumor from a papilloma. Coexpression of S -100 protein, transthyretin and cytokeratin identified the neoplastic cells as being of choroid plexus origin. Immunohistochemical detection of MIB-1 showed a proliferation rate (16%) similar to adenomas in more conventional locations, but not encountered in benign brain tumors. In situ detection of DNA-derived oligonucleosomal fragments by TUNEL analysis, on the other hand, detected apoptotic activity in 5-8% of tumor cells. The indolent course of the disease in the present case, thus, might suggest a compensatory elimination of proliferating cells by apoptosis. This possibly points to mechanisms of neoplastic transformation different from those involved in choroid plexus papillomas.
Varga
Z
Z
Institute of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
Vajtai
I
I
Marino
S
S
Schäuble
B
B
Yonekawa
Y
Y
Aguzzi
A
A
D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D016545:Choroid Plexus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*