ENHANCED MYCN EXPRESSION AND ISOCHROMOSOME 17Q IN PINEALOBLASTOMA CELL-LINES

We have established two cell lines, PER-452 and PER-453, from an 8-mon th-old girl with an extensive pineoblastoma. Characterization of these lines revealed that the proto-oncogenes MYC and MYCN were not amplifi ed, but both cell lines showed MYCN expression comparable to a cell li ne with 200-fold MYCN amplification. Both cell lines contained an i(17 q). These results support the concept that pineoblastomas belong to a larger group of primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the central nervou s system. These two cell lines provide a unique opportunity to investi gate the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying these neoplasms furth er. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.