Jun Shen1, Qin Shi, Jian Lu, Dong-Lai Wang, Tian-Ming Zou, Hui-Lin Yang, Guo-Qing Zhu. 1. *Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China; and †Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN: The histological comparative study was performed on chordoma and notochordal cell rests (NCRs). OBJECTIVE: To understand the histological similarity and homology of chordoma and NCRs, further supplying direct evidence of chordoma origin from NCRs. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although many studies supported the hypothesis that chordoma arise from NCRs, there has been little direct evidence reported to date. Of the base of our previous study, we conducted a comparative histological study among NCRs coexisting in chordoma, fetal NCRs, and chordoma tumor components. METHODS: Thirty fetal nucleus pulposus and 46 chordoma specimens were harvested, and classic chordoma tumor markers and brachyury expression levels were investigated through immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The fetal NCRs existed in the form of clusters in the center of nucleus pulposus <36 gestational weeks; NCRs coexisting in chordoma specimens consisted of packed cells without extracellular myxoid matrix. Both the above-mentioned NCRs as well as chordoma tumor components showed high sensitivity for classic chordoma tumor makers (epithelial membrane antigen, AE1/AE3, CAM5.2, vimentin, S-100); both kinds of NCRs showed completely negative expression for brachyury, whereas chordoma tumor components demonstrated 100% positivity. CONCLUSION: Our study results supported histological similarity and homology of NCRs coexisting in chordoma and in fetal nucleus pulposus. Brachyury activation probably takes an important role in chordoma tumoregenesis.
STUDY DESIGN: The histological comparative study was performed on chordoma and notochordal cell rests (NCRs). OBJECTIVE: To understand the histological similarity and homology of chordoma and NCRs, further supplying direct evidence of chordoma origin from NCRs. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although many studies supported the hypothesis that chordoma arise from NCRs, there has been little direct evidence reported to date. Of the base of our previous study, we conducted a comparative histological study among NCRs coexisting in chordoma, fetal NCRs, and chordoma tumor components. METHODS: Thirty fetal nucleus pulposus and 46 chordoma specimens were harvested, and classic chordoma tumor markers and brachyury expression levels were investigated through immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The fetal NCRs existed in the form of clusters in the center of nucleus pulposus <36 gestational weeks; NCRs coexisting in chordoma specimens consisted of packed cells without extracellular myxoid matrix. Both the above-mentioned NCRs as well as chordoma tumor components showed high sensitivity for classic chordoma tumor makers (epithelial membrane antigen, AE1/AE3, CAM5.2, vimentin, S-100); both kinds of NCRs showed completely negative expression for brachyury, whereas chordoma tumor components demonstrated 100% positivity. CONCLUSION: Our study results supported histological similarity and homology of NCRs coexisting in chordoma and in fetal nucleus pulposus. Brachyury activation probably takes an important role in chordoma tumoregenesis.
Authors: William L Harryman; Jaime M C Gard; Kelvin W Pond; Skyler J Simpson; Lucas H Heppner; Daniel Hernandez-Cortes; Andrew S Little; Jennifer M Eschbacher; Anne E Cress Journal: Neoplasia Date: 2017-09-24 Impact factor: 5.715