Tierarztl Prax Ausg G Grosstiere Nutztiere 2020; 48(01): 45-49
DOI: 10.1055/a-1067-3925
Case Report

Ependymoma in a dwarf goat

Ependymom bei einer Zwergziege
Bianca Kühl
1   Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
,
Martin Peters
2   Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Westfalen, Arnsberg, Germany
,
Nicole Gies
3   Tierpark Hamm, Hamm
,
Peter Wohlsein
1   Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Ependymomas are relatively rare neuroglial tumours that derive from ependymal cells, lining the ventricles of the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord. They occur particularly in dogs, while reports in goats are extremely scarce. A 15-year-old female dwarf goat was found in lateral recumbency, developed opisthotonus and was killed humanely. Necropsy revealed a well-demarcated, non-encapsulated mass in the diencephalon at the level of the interthalamic adhesion. Histologically, the neoplasm showed highly cellular sheets of tumour cells with occasional perivascular pseudorosettes and true rosettes. Immunohistochemistry revealed an extensive and perivascularly accentuated expression of S100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein, while vimentin expression was observed to a minor extent. Tumour cells were negative for cytokeratin and CNPase. Ultrastructurally, intercellular junctions were present, but cilia and blepharoblasts were lacking. The presented findings are consistent with a cellular subtype of an ependymoma. Ependymomas should be regarded as a rare cause of central nervous signs in goats.

Zusammenfassung

Ependymome sind relativ selten auftretende Tumoren ausgehend von den Ependymzellen, die die Ventrikel des Gehirns und den Zentralkanal des Rückenmarks auskleiden. Sie kommen vor allem bei Hunden vor, während Berichte über Ependymome bei Ziegen extrem selten sind. Eine 15 Jahre alte, weibliche Zwergziege wurde in Seitenlage festliegend aufgefunden, entwickelte einen Opisthotonus und wurde aufgrund der schlechten Prognose euthanasiert. Bei der Sektion fand sich eine gut abgegrenzte, nicht abgekapselte Gewebezubildung im Dienzephalon auf Höhe der interthalamischen Verbindung. Histologisch zeigte die sehr zellreiche, flächig proliferierte Neoplasie gelegentlich charakteristische perivaskuläre Pseudorosetten sowie echte Rosetten. Immunhistologisch fand sich eine deutliche, perivaskulär akzentuierte Expression von S100-Protein und saurem Gliafaserprotein, während Vimentinexpression in geringerem Ausmaß zu beobachten war. Die Tumorzellen waren negativ für Zytokeratin und CNPase. Elektronenmikroskopisch ließen sich interzelluläre Verbindungen nachweisen, allerdings gab es keine Anzeichen für Zilien und Blepharoblasten. Die Befunde decken sich mit denen des zellulären Subtyps eines Ependymoms. Ependymome sollten als seltene Ursache für zentralnervöse Symptome bei Ziegen Berücksichtigung finden.



Publication History

Received: 29 August 2019

Accepted: 21 October 2019

Article published online:
14 February 2020

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Stuttgart · New York

 
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