title: Primitive neuroectodermal tumor in an ovarian cystic teratoma: natural killer and neuroblastoma cell analysis.
abstract: In the present study, we report an extremely rare case of a 31-year-old woman with neuroblastoma arising in an ovarian cystic teratoma. We analyzed the expression of activating receptors on natural killer (NK) cells derived from the patient's peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid. In addition, we investigated the presence of specific ligands recognized by different NK cell receptors on tumor cells. We show that NK cells isolated from peritoneal fluid expressed certain triggering receptors including DNAM-1 (CD226) and CD16 with lower intensity as compared to peripheral blood NK cells. Remarkably, at variance with most cases of childhood neuroblastoma, the tumor cells from this patient expressed substantial amounts of HLA class-I molecules. These molecules are known to be protective against NK cell-mediated lysis. In addition, neuroblastoma cells expressed B7-H3 (CD276), another surface molecule that inhibits NK cell function. Finally, this tumor did not express the PVR (CD155) and nectin-2 (CD112) ligands for the DNAM-1 activating NK receptor, which plays a crucial role in NK/neuroblastoma interactions. Altogether, these findings indicate that the neuroblastoma cells of this patient express an NK-resistant surface phenotype, which is at least in part similar to that previously described in a fraction of childhood neuroblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tabellini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benassi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Centro di Eccellenza per le Ricerche Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marcenaro
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coltrini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Patrizi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ricotta
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rampinelli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Centro di Eccellenza per le Ricerche Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moretta
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parolini
keywords: Activating natural killer receptors; Natural killer cells; Neuroblastoma; Ovarian cancer