Tenascin in meningioma: expression is correlated with anaplasia, vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and peritumoral edema but not with tumor border shape.
OBJECTIVE
Tenascin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that is expressed during embryogenesis, inflammation, angiogenesis, and carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate how tenascin expression relates to histological grade, angiogenesis, and radiological findings in meningiomas.


METHODS
Twenty typical, 20 atypical, and 5 malignant meningiomas were studied retrospectively. Tenascin expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the tumor tissue were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Tenascin messenger ribonucleic acid expression was also studied by comparative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Magnetic resonance images from each case were assessed for peritumoral edema and tumor border shape.


RESULTS
The atypical and malignant meningiomas showed higher levels of tenascin expression than the typical meningiomas. The more sensitive messenger ribonucleic acid-based methods confirmed this finding. Tenascin expression was correlated with peritumoral edema and VEGF expression but not with tumor border shape. In the 13 tumors with marked tenascin expression, peritumoral edema was Grade 0 in one, Grade 1 in three, and Grade 2 in nine specimens. In the same 13 tumors, VEGF expression was Grade 1 in five and Grade 2 in eight specimens, and the findings for tumor border shape were Grade 0 in seven, Grade 1 in four, and Grade 2 in two specimens.


CONCLUSIONS
In meningiomas, tenascin expression is correlated with anaplasia, tumor-associated edema, and VEGF expression but not with tumor border shape. This protein may play a role in the neoplastic and/or angiogenic processes in atypical and malignant meningiomas and may thus be a potential target for meningioma therapy.
Neurooncology Laboratories, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Mamara University, Istanbul, Turkey. turkilic@turk.net
Türker
T
Kiliç
Yaşar
Y
Bayri
Koray
K
Ozduman
Melih
M
Acar
Semin
S
Diren
Ozlem
O
Kurtkaya
Gazanfer
G
Ekinci
Kuyaş
K
Buğra
Aydin
A
Sav
M Memet
MM
Ozek
M Necmettin
MN
Pamir
D000708:Anaplasia; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics*; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008578:Meninges / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008579:Meningioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019063:Tenascin / Q000235:genetics*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019063:Tenascin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors