Immunocytochemical demonstration of interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein in cerebellar medulloblastoma

Previously, immunoreactive rod-opsin and S-antigen (arrestin), two highly characteristic markers of retinal photoreceptors and pinealocytes, were shown to be present in certain medulloblastoma cells. It, thus, has been suggested that such cells differentiate along the photoreceptor lineage. This is corroborated in the present immunocytochemical investigation using antibodies against another photoreceptor-cell marker, the interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP). As shown in preparations of human retina and pineal organ, IRBP can be successfully demonstrated in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue: the IRBP immunoreaction is located to the outer and inner segments of retinal photoreceptor cells and to perikarya of certain pinealocytes. Examination of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens of 66 cerebellar medullo-blastomas revealed varying numbers of IRBP-immuno-reactive tumor cells in 19 cases that were formerly shown to contain rod-opsin and S-antigen immunoreaction. IRBP-immunoreactive tumor cells were also found in a retinoblastoma and a pineocytoma, but not in neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma, glioblastoma, oligodendroglioma and astrocytoma. The results indicate: (1) cerebellar medulloblastomas are heterogeneous in their differentiation potential; (2) one type of medulloblastoma displays photoreceptor characteristics; (3) this type appears to be closely related to retinoblastoma and pineal cell tumors; and (4) all three types of tumors may display additional common features to be explored in future studies.