Nephroblastoma in a black-tufted marmoset (Callithrix penicillata)

Abstract

A renal nephroblastoma is described in a free-living black-tufted marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) in Central Brazil. The monkey was found dead and subjected to necropsy. Gross anatomic changes consisted of a ruptured left kidney, which was almost completely effaced by a white to yellow, partially encapsulated friable mass. The left ureter was distended due to obstruction by a red, spherical, 2mm in diameter friable mass. The urinary bladder was also distended. Histologically the renal and ureteral masses consisted of a triphasic embryonal neoplasm composed of embryonic epithelium forming glomeruli and tubules, polygonal blastemal cells, and a mesenchymal stroma. The embryonic epithelium exhibited rare nuclear immunoreactivity for WT-1, whereas blastemal cells exhibited robust cytoplasmic and rare nuclear immunoreactivity for WT-1; blastemal cells were also immunoreactive for vimentin. No immunoreactivity was detected for pan-cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), actin, and desmin. Morphological and immunohistochemical features of the present neoplasm are consistent with those described for renal nephroblastoma.