Dataset Information

Expression and clinical value of EGFR in human meningiomas.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Meningiomas are common intracranial tumors in humans that frequently recur despite having a predominantly benign nature. Even though these tumors have been shown to commonly express EGFR/c-erbB1 (epidermal growth factor receptor), results from previous studies are uncertain regarding the expression of either intracellular or extracellular domains, cellular localization, activation state, relations to malignancy grade, and prognosis.

Aims

This study was designed to investigate the expression of the intracellular and extracellular domains of EGFR and of the activated receptor as well as its ligands EGF and TGFα in a large series of meningiomas with long follow-up data, and investigate if there exists an association between antibody expression and clinical and histological data.

Methods

A series of 186 meningiomas consecutively operated within a 10-year period was included. Tissue microarrays were constructed and immunohistochemically analyzed with antibodies targeting intracellular and extracellular domains of EGFR, phosphorylated receptor, and EGF and TGFα. Expression levels were recorded as a staining index (SI).

Results

Positive immunoreactivity was observed for all antibodies in most cases. There was in general high SIs for the intracellular domain of EGFR, phosphorylated EGFR, EGF, and TGFα but lower for the extracellular domain. Normal meninges were negative for all antibodies. Higher SIs for the phosphorylated EGFR were observed in grade II tumors compared with grade I (p = 0.018). Survival or recurrence was significantly decreased in the time to recurrence analysis (TTR) with high SI-scores of the extracellular domain in a univariable survival analysis (HR 1.152, CI (1.036-1.280, p = 0.009)). This was not significant in a multivariable analysis. Expression of the other antigens did not affect survival.

Conclusion

EGFR is overexpressed and in an activated state in human meningiomas. High levels of ligands also support this growth factor receptor system to be involved in meningioma tumorigenesis. EGFR may be a potential candidate for targeted therapy.

SUBMITTER: Arnli MB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5374971 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundKIT is a proto-oncogene involved in diverse neoplastic processes. Aberrant kinase activity of the KIT receptor has been targeted by tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy in different neoplasias. In all the earlier studies, KIT expression was reported to be absent in meningiomas. However, we observed KIT mRNA expression in some meningioma cases. This prompted us to undertake its detailed analyses in meningioma tissues resected during 2008-2009.MethodsTumor tissues and matched peripheral blood samples collected from meningioma patients were used for detailed molecular analyses. KIT expression was ascertained immunohistochemically and validated by immunoblotting. KIT and KITLG transcript levels were discerned by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). Similarly, KIT amplification and allele loss were assessed by quantitative real-time (qPCR) and validated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on the neoplastic tissues. Possible alterations of the gene at the nucleotide level were analyzed by sequencing.ResultsContrary to earlier reports, KIT expression, was detected immunohistochemically in 20.6% meningioma cases (n = 34). Receptor (KIT) and ligand (KITLG) transcripts monitored by RT-qPCR were found to co-express (p = 0.048) in most of the KIT immunopositive tumors. 1/7 KIT positive meningiomas showed allele loss corroborated by reduced FISH signal in the corresponding neoplastic tissue. Sequence analysis of KIT showed M541L substitution in exon 10, in one of the immunopositive cases. However, its biological consequence remains to be uncovered.ConclusionsThis study clearly demonstrates KIT over-expression in the human meningiomas. The data suggest that up-regulated KIT transcription (p < 0.001), instead of gene amplification (p > 0.05), is a likely mechanism responsible for altered KIT expression. Thus, KIT is a potential candidate for detailed investigation in the context of meningioma pathogenesis.