Tactile Corpuscle-like Bodies in Gastrointestinal-type Mucosa: A Case Series.
Tactile corpuscle-like bodies (TCLB) are microscopic Schwannian structures that simulate the superficial mechanoreceptors of the peripheral nervous system (Wagner-Meissner corpuscles). They have been described nearly exclusively in peripheral nerve sheath tumors, namely diffuse neurofibromas, and schwannomas but also in cellular nevi. There are rare reports of these structures in the gastrointestinal tract (predominantly the lower tract), with the presumption that they are incidental reactive neural proliferations. We compiled 9 cases showing this rare phenomenon in gastrointestinal-type mucosa in nonsyndromic patients to further characterize its features. There were 6 men and 3 women (age range, 39 to 79 y, mean 56 y) with lesions involving esophagus/gastro-esophageal junction (n=7), sigmoid colon (n=1), and gastric heterotopia of the cricopharynx (n=1). Endoscopic examination was abnormal in 6 of the 7 cases (including changes consistent with Barrett esophagus and polypoid/nodular mucosa) and normal in 1 of 7 cases for which this information was available. The histologic features were similar in all cases, with unencapsulated clusters of lamellated and concentrically arranged spindle cells in the lamina propria. The foci of TCLB ranged in size from <0.1 to 1.5 mm in the greatest dimension. Abnormal histopathologic findings were identified in the background mucosa in 6 of 9 cases (including Barrett esophagus, active and inactive chronic gastritis, enterochromaffin-like cell hyperplasia, and gastric intestinal metaplasia). None of the patients showed signs of neurofibromatosis type 1, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B, Cowden syndrome, or other inherited syndrome. No morbidity related to TCLB was reported for the patients with available follow-up.
*Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain †Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD ‡Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA §Department of Pathology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Catuxa
C
Celeiro-Muñoz
Thomas A
TA
Huebner
Scott A
SA
Robertson
Meredith E
ME
Pittman
Aatur D
AD
Singhi
Christina A
CA
Arnold
Feriyl
F
Bhaijee
Lysandra
L
Voltaggio
Elizabeth A
EA
Montgomery
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D019070:Cell Lineage; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008297:Male; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012038:Regeneration; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D014481:United States
D015415:Biomarkers