V. Jay et al., MYCN AMPLIFICATION IN PEDIATRIC BRAIN-TUMORS - DETECTION BY DIFFERENTIAL POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION, Journal of histotechnology, 20(2), 1997, pp. 115-118
MYCN amplification is frequently observed in tumors such as neuroblast
omas, but is uncommon in pediatric brain tumors, which represent the m
ost common solid tumors of childhood. MYCN amplification is rarely des
cribed in gliomas and some primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) of
the central nervous system. Oncogene amplification has traditionally
been determined quantitatively by Southern blotting, a time consuming
technique often requiring more DNA than is available from small brain
tumor biopsies. We applied the novel technique of differential polymer
ase chain reaction (PCR) to a small series of 8 pediatric brain tumors
to assess the presence of MYCN amplification. The tumors included 4 c
erebellar PNETs, 1 cerebral PNET, 1 malignant glioma, 1 subependymal g
iant cell tumor, and 1 ganglioglioma. Differential PCR showed MYCN amp
lification in 1 cerebellar PNET and 1 malignant glioma, with amplifica
tion 20-fold and 80-fold, respectively, above diploid controls. Our re
sults confirm that differential PCR is a useful technique to assess on
cogene amplification in pediatric brain tumors.