Cell cycle-associated proteins in melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to compare the immunohistochemical expression of cell cycle-associated proteins in neuroblastic and melanocytic cell populations of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy.

STUDY DESIGN: Three cases of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy were selected. The immunohistochemical expression of MDM-2, p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cyclin D1, and cyclin A was assessed through use of the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique.

RESULTS: Positive immunostaining for MDM-2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cyclin D1, and cyclin A was occasionally observed in the large melanin-containing epithelioid cells.

CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that MDM-2 expression may be important for the development of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy and that the melanocytic cell population, not the neuroblastic one, is the proliferative component of the tumor.