Laser-capture microdissected Schwannian and neuroblastic cells in stage 4 neuroblastomas have the same genetic alterations

Background. Neuroblastoma (NB) is a heterogeneous tumor composed of mixed populations of neuroblastic, Schwannian, and gangliocytic cells. Procedure. We examined the genetic lineage of Schwannian and neuroblastic cells in stage 4 NB using laser-capture microdissection (LCM) and allelic analysis of microsatellite markers of chromosomes 1p, 11q, and 14q. Results. In 18 out of 19 cases, individual cell types exhibited the same allelotype. Conclusion. Our results provide evidence that the majority of Schwannian and neuroblastic cells in stage 4 NB are of neoplastic origin, and support the hypothesis of a tumor stem cell capable of development along multiple lineages. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.