Medulloblastomas: a correlative study of MIB-1 proliferation index along with expression of c-Myc, ERBB2, and anti-apoptotic proteins along with histological typing and clinical outcome.
BACKGROUND
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common pediatric brain tumor. It is however rare in adults. The genetic and protein expression profile of medulloblastoma is complex, which is worthwhile in terms of prognostication and development or selection of targeted therapy.


OBJECTIVE
The aims and objectives to correlate the MIB-1 proliferation index and protein expression profiles of c-Myc, ERBB2, and anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl2 and Bcl-xL) in tumor cells with histological subtypes and clinical outcome.


METHODS
In 50 cases, histopathological subtyping was done, and protein expression profiling by immunohistochemical technique was performed by stains for MIB-1, Bcl2, Bcl-xL, c-Myc, and ERBB2 in 30 cases. The findings were correlated with histological types and patient's average follow-up data.


RESULTS
Histological subtypes were similar to that described in literatures. The average expression of Bcl2, Bcl-xL, MIB-1, c-Myc, and ERBB2 were as follows: 50.38%, 38.18%, 59.03%, 46.16%, and 59.62%, respectively. Bcl2 expression showed statistically significant correlation with progress-free survival (PFS) [p = 0.046], while ERBB2 and MIB-1 showed a trend of higher expression in progressive disease. The protein expression pattern did not correlate with histological subtypes.


CONCLUSIONS
Though Bcl-2, ERBB2, and MIB-1 LI came out to be potential markers of aggressive behavior, c-Myc did not correlate with PFS in MB.
Das
Prasenjit
P
Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Puri
Tarun
T
Suri
Vaishali
V
Sharma
M C
MC
Sharma
B S
BS
Sarkar
Chitra
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D051020:bcl-X Protein; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; C489427:MYC protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human