Proposing the term purkinjeoma: protein gene product 9.5 expression in 2 porcine cardiac rhabdomyomas indicates possible purkinje fiber cell origin

Vet Pathol. 2010 Jul;47(4):738-40. doi: 10.1177/0300985810364525. Epub 2010 Apr 23.

Abstract

Rhabdomyomas, defined as rare benign tumors of striated muscle, predominantly occur in the myocardium. In veterinary medicine, cardiac rhabdomyomas have rarely been reported but most frequently in pigs as an incidental finding. In the present case report, multiple circumscribed nodules found in the myocardium of 2 pigs were composed of large, vacuolated, glycogen-loaded cells. They expressed vimentin and desmin, neuron-specific enolase, and atrial natriuretic peptide. In addition, these cells expressed protein gene product 9.5, a marker for neuronal tissue and Purkinje fiber cells, in contrast to adjacent myocytes. The present findings-especially, the protein gene product 9.5 immunoreactivity-provide further evidence for the Purkinje fiber cell origin of the porcine myocardial proliferation. Therefore, the term purkinjeoma or purkinjeomatosis is proposed for cardiac rhabdomyoma in pigs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Heart Neoplasms / pathology
  • Heart Neoplasms / veterinary*
  • Immunohistochemistry / veterinary
  • Purkinje Cells / pathology*
  • Rhabdomyoma / pathology
  • Rhabdomyoma / veterinary*
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / pathology*
  • Terminology as Topic

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor