Correlation of MYCN amplification, Trk-A and CD44 expression with clinical stage in 250 patients with neuroblastoma. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • In contrast to MYCN amplification, expression of either trk-A or CD44 in neuroblastoma is a favourable prognostic factor and were therefore investigated in tumours from 250 patients. One hundred and eleven localised/4s (Group 1) and 139 stage 4 (Group 2) tumours were analysed. MYCN copy number was obtained by Southern blotting or PCR amplification and was detected in 28 stage 4 tumours. Trk-A and CD44 expression was detected by immunoperoxidase staining using murine monoclonal antibodies 5C3 and L178, respectively. Expression was scored as positive (homogeneous), mixed (heterogeneous) or non-reactive (negative). Trk-A expression was found in 95% of Group 1 tumours and 49% of Group 2 tumours. CD44 expression was found in 100% of Group 1 tumours, the majority of which had a strong homogeneous expression. Lack of CD44 expression occurred in 25% of tumours, all stage 4 neuroblastoma. Of the 28 MYCN amplified tumours, 27/28 (96%) were trk-A negative, and 13/28 (46%) CD44 negative. We conclude that (1) a significant percentage of stage 4 neuroblastoma express either or both trk-A and CD44, (2) the absence of CD44 expression is highly restricted to stage 4 neuroblastoma and is associated with the lack of trk-A expression, (3) trk-A negativity among CD44-positive tumours is associated with stage 4 neuroblastoma and (4) the absence of trk-A expression is highly correlated with MYCN amplification.

publication date

  • October 1, 1997

Research

keywords

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Ganglioneuroma
  • Gene Amplification
  • Genes, myc
  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Neuroblastoma
  • Receptor, trkA

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0031427369

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/s0959-8049(97)00211-6

PubMed ID

  • 9516861

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 33

issue

  • 12