Glioneuronal phenotype in a diencephalic pilomyxoid astrocytoma

Pediatr Dev Pathol. 2006 Nov-Dec;9(6):480-7. doi: 10.2350/06-03-0054.1.

Abstract

We report the presence of divergent populations of cells in a hypothalamic/chiasmatic pilomyxoid astrocytoma of an 11-month-old male, exhibiting differential immunohistochemical localizations for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and synaptophysin. The tumor cells were negative for Neu-N and neurofilament protein. Ultrastructurally, the tumor comprised 2 cell types, one with features attributable to a neuronal phenotype alongside cells exhibiting an overt astroglial phenotype. This composite organization was confirmed by confocal microscopy, which revealed 2 distinct, albeit tightly interwoven, populations of GFAP and synaptophysin-labeled tumor cells. Our results indicate that a subset of the so-called pilomyxoid astrocytomas of the hypothalamic/chiasmatic region may represent phenotypically mixed glioneuronal neoplasms distinct from the pilocytic astrocytomas.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Astrocytes / ultrastructure
  • Astrocytoma / chemistry
  • Astrocytoma / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Ganglioglioma / chemistry
  • Ganglioglioma / pathology*
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / analysis
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / pathology*
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Infant
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Neurons / ultrastructure
  • Phenotype
  • Synaptophysin / analysis

Substances

  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Synaptophysin