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MUC4 and Caspase-3 Immunoexpression in Meningioma: A Histopathological Study Linking Mucin & Apoptotic Pathways
Sara Mohamad Abou-Fandoud1, Abeer Mohammed Amal Mohammed1, Aya Magdy Elyamany1
1Department of Anatomic Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Kasr Al-Ainy Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Background:
The most frequent intracranial primary tumors of the central nervous system and the second most frequent tumors of the brain are meningiomas. Although most of them are benign, a subset of them is biologically aggressive, exhibiting aggressive growth behavior and brain invasion.
Materials And Methods:
Fifty-nine cases of various grades & subtypes of meningiomas were included in this retrospective study. Samples were immunohistochemically analyzed for MUC4 & Caspase-3 antibodies and correlated with clinico-pathologic variables.
Results:
MUC4 was expressed in 36 (61%) cases of meningioma. Statistically, MUC4 expression, the percentage of positivity of tumor cells, and the intensity were significantly positively correlated with the WHO grade of meningioma cases (p-value = 0.03, 0.006, and 0.002, respectively) and the meningioma histologic subtype (p-value = 0.002, 0.002, and 0.000, respectively). Caspase-3 was expressed in 48 (81.4%) cases of meningioma. Caspase-3 expression was statistically significantly inversely correlated with the WHO grade of the analyzed tumors (p-value= 0.005) and the meningioma histologic subtype (p-value= 0.014). There is an inverse statistically significant correlation between the intensity of MUC4 & Caspase-3 expression (p-value= 0.002).
Conclusion:
Our results suggest that MUC4 is associated with higher grades of meningiomas and may have a negative impact on prognosis and recurrence rates, potentially making it a target for an agent with mucolytic effects that can help overcome chemoresistance in aggressive meningiomas. On the other hand, the expression of Caspase-3 correlates with the grade of differentiation and certain histotypes and may be considered as an ideal target for meningioma therapeutic regimens.
Insights
Mucin 4 (MUC4) expression correlates with higher-grade meningiomas, suggesting a poor prognosis. Caspase-3 expression is linked to better-differentiated tumors, indicating potential therapeutic targets for aggressive meningiomas.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Tumor Biology
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Meningiomas are common primary brain tumors, with most being benign but some exhibiting aggressive behavior.
- Aggressive meningiomas can invade brain tissue and have a poorer prognosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression of MUC4 and Caspase-3 in meningiomas.
- To correlate MUC4 and Caspase-3 expression with meningioma grade and histological subtype.
- To assess the potential of MUC4 and Caspase-3 as prognostic and therapeutic markers.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 59 meningioma cases.
- Immunohistochemical analysis for MUC4 and Caspase-3 antibodies.
- Correlation of marker expression with clinical and pathological variables.
Main Results:
- MUC4 was expressed in 61% of meningiomas and positively correlated with higher WHO grade and aggressive histological subtypes.
- Caspase-3 was expressed in 81.4% of meningiomas and inversely correlated with higher WHO grade and aggressive histological subtypes.
- An inverse correlation was found between MUC4 and Caspase-3 expression intensity.
Conclusions:
- MUC4 expression is associated with aggressive meningiomas and may indicate a poor prognosis.
- MUC4 could be a therapeutic target for aggressive meningiomas, potentially overcoming chemoresistance.
- Caspase-3 expression correlates with tumor differentiation and may serve as a therapeutic target for meningioma treatment.
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