Microarray gene expression profiling in central neurocytomas

Microarray gene expression profiling of central neurocytomas (CNs). Comparison between neurocytoma, pineocytoma (PC) and pineoblastoma (PB) relative to normal brain. Gene expression analysis was performed on tumor samples. Tumor tissues of 5 CNs, 2 PCs (low-grade pineal parenchymal tumors (PPTs)) and 2 PBs (high-grade PPTs) were obtained from the NeurobiotecBank (Groupement Hospitalier Est, Bron, France) or from the AP-HM Tissue Bank (Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, France). At surgery, the tumor tissue was divided into 2 fragments, one of which was frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen for RNA extraction, whereas the other was fixed for histopathologic analysis.