Nestin expression in cortical dysplasia.
OBJECTIVE
It is recognized that cortical dysplasia (CD) is associated with an increased incidence of glioneuronal neoplasms. Among hypothetical considerations, there is the possibility that CD and other neuronal migration abnormalities harbor dysmature cells with the potential to give rise to glioneuronal neoplasms. Such cells, if present, would be reasonably expected to display immature features. The goal of the present study was to characterize the expression of nestin, a neuroepithelial precursor/stem cell antigen, in CD, along with other pathological and clinical features of this entity.


METHODS
Clinical and surgical features of 10 recent cases meeting the histological criteria for CD were reviewed. Expressions of nestin, MAP2, neurofilament, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were assessed using immunohistochemical analysis and confocal scanning laser microscopy. Immunoreactivity for both glial and neuronal antigens as well as nestin was found in a select group of cells within regions of CD. Immunohistochemical and confocal microscopic findings demonstrated that these cells with neuronal or ambiguous features are a mixed population, some of which are dysmature neurons (positive for nestin and MAP2), whereas others are astrocytic (positive for nestin and GFAP).


CONCLUSIONS
Further insight into the nature of nestin-positive neurons may shed light on the cause and pathogenesis of the associated glioneuronal tumors and the accompanying chronic seizures.
Duggal
N
N
Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre and The University of Western Ontario, Canada.
Iskander
S
S
Hammond
R R
RR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002828:Choristoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000473:pathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins