Adhesion cell molecules as potential markers of aggressiveness in meningiomas

Routine histopathological criteria are poor predictors of the outcome in meningiomas. The present study tried to determine if some adhesion cell molecules could be helpful in assessing the histological aggressiveness in meningiomas of all grades. Our series comprised 113 cases, WHO grade I (n=53), WHO grade II (n=47) and WHO grade III (n=13). Three cases of meningeal non-meningothelial tumors (hemangiopericytoma, hemangioblastoma and fibrosarcoma) were also studied as control tissue. Immunohistochemistry for CD44, CD54, E-cadherin, progesterone receptor (PGR) and Ki67 was performed. CD54 was for the first time systematically assessed in meningiomas of all three grades of malignancy. CD44 and CD54 were expressed in 58.4 and 31.72% of cases, respectively. CD54 expression showed a direct correlation with the degree of histological anaplasia and Ki67 values. More than half of cases (58.11%) were negative for E-cadherin, mostly the anaplastic ones, which also showed less positive areas for this marker. Cell adhesion molecules were not significantly related to a particular histological type and proliferating potential of meningiomas. Overall, CD54 as well as E-cadherin could be used as additional aggressiveness indicators aside the classical ones. On the other way, Ki67 once again confirmed its significant role in the assessment of meningioma aggressiveness.