1
|
Kresbach C, Dottermusch M, Eckhardt A, Ristow I, Paplomatas P, Altendorf L, Wefers AK, Bockmayr M, Belakhoua S, Tran I, Pohl L, Neyazi S, Bode H, Farschtschi S, Well L, Friedrich RE, Reuss D, Snuderl M, Hagel C, Mautner VF, Schüller U. Atypical neurofibromas reveal distinct epigenetic features with proximity to benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor entities. Neuro Oncol 2023; 25:1644-1655. [PMID: 36866403 PMCID: PMC10479771 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plexiform neurofibromas can transform into atypical neurofibromas (ANF) and then further progress to aggressive malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). ANF have been described to harbor distinct histological features and frequent loss of CDKN2A/B. However, histological evaluation may be rater-dependent, and detailed knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of malignant transformation is scarce. In general, malignant transformation can be accompanied by significant epigenetic changes, and global DNA methylation profiling is able to differentiate relevant tumor subgroups. Therefore, epigenetic profiling might provide a valuable tool to distinguish and characterize ANF with differing extent of histopathological atypia from neurofibromas and MPNST. METHODS We investigated 40 tumors histologically diagnosed as ANF and compared their global methylation profile to other peripheral nerve sheath tumors. RESULTS Unsupervised class discovery and t-SNE analysis indicated that 36/40 ANF cluster with benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors with clear separation from MPNST. 21 ANF formed a molecularly distinct cluster in proximity to schwannomas. Tumors in this cluster had a frequent heterozygous or homozygous loss of CDKN2A/B and significantly more lymphocyte infiltration than MPNST, schwannomas, and NF. Few ANF clustered closely with neurofibromas, schwannomas, or MPNST, raising the question, whether diagnosis based on histological features alone might pose a risk to both over- and underestimate the aggressiveness of these lesions. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that ANF with varying histological morphology show distinct epigenetic similarities and cluster in proximity to benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor entities. Future investigations should pay special respect to correlating this methylation pattern to clinical outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catena Kresbach
- Department of Diagnostics, Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS4, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Dottermusch
- Department of Diagnostics, Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Alicia Eckhardt
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Lab of Radiobiology & Experimental Radiation Oncology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Inka Ristow
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Petros Paplomatas
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lea Altendorf
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Annika K Wefers
- Department of Diagnostics, Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS4, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Bockmayr
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS4, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Pathology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarra Belakhoua
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ivy Tran
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lara Pohl
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sina Neyazi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Helena Bode
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Said Farschtschi
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lennart Well
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Reinhard E Friedrich
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - David Reuss
- Department of Neuropathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matija Snuderl
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Christian Hagel
- Department of Diagnostics, Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Victor-Felix Mautner
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Department of Diagnostics, Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|