Assessment of muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression in primitive neuroectodermal tumor/ewing family of tumor and desmoplastic small round cell tumor: an immunohistochemical and Western blot study of tissue microarray and cell lines.
The primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)/Ewing family of tumors (EFT) and desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) portend a grave prognosis. Ongoing research in similar neurocrest-derived neoplasms has implicated both the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in the pathogenesis of these neoplasms. Acetylcholine has been reported to impart a modulatory effect on chemotaxis and proliferation, an effect ameliorated by anticholinergic drugs. The aim of our study is to characterize the pattern of expression of mAChR and nAChR in PNET/EFT and DSRCT, in hopes of discovering a potential target for therapeutic improvements. We examined 34 cases of PNET/EFT and 2 DSRCT retrospectively by immunohistochemical studies. We found that AChRs are overexpressed in a significant number of PNET/EFT and DSRCT. The Western blot analysis of 3 human Ewing sarcoma cell lines confirms the presence of AChRs. Future studies are planned to confirm these results as well as to investigate their potential therapeutic implications.
Schlauder
Scott M
SM
Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Pathology of University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Steffensen
Thora S
TS
Morgan
Michael
M
Letson
Douglas G
DG
Pledger
Warren J
WJ
Ma
Le
L
Bui
Marilyn M
MM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018242:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000378:metabolism*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018228:Sarcoma, Small Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic