Adrenal Medullary Nodules in Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome Resemble Extra-Adrenal Paraganglia |
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Authors: | Tischler Arthur S. Semple Joseph |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Pathology, New England Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, 750 Washington Street, 02111 Boston, MA |
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Abstract: | Clues to mechanisms regulating development and tumorigenesis may be provided by studies of unusual diseases. Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a rare congenital disorder apparently related to abnormal regulation of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) production. IGF-2 mRNA has been previously localized to the chief cells of extra-adrenal paraganglia and to adult, but not fetal, adrenal medulla. Expression of IGF-2 by neuroblastomas has been hypothesized to reflect extra-adrenal paraganglionic differentiation. In the adrenals of a fetus with BWS, we have observed both increased numbers of chromaffin cells and organoid nodules resembling extra-adrenal paraganglia. Immunoreactive IGF-2 was observed in both cell types, but was also observed in chromaffin cells in the normal fetal adrenal. The findings suggest autocrine or paracrine influences of IGF-2 in regulating the number and phenotype of cells derived from sympathoadrenal precursors in the developing adrenal medulla as well as in extra-adrenal paraganglia. These results have implications for the interpretation of data from neuroblastoma studies. |
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Keywords: | Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome adrenal gland adrenal medulla chromaffin cells paraganglia insulin-like growth factor-2 catecholamine-biosynthetic enzymes immunohistochemistry |
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