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Updated: May 28, 2026
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Cerebrospinal Fluid MicroRNA Profiling Using Quantitative Real Time PCR
Published on: January 22, 2014
Aquaporin-4 and MicroRNA Expression in Meningiomas: A Tissue-Level Exploratory Analysis.
Huseyin Omer Keskin1, Emre Ozkara1, Ebru Erzurumluoglu2
1Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26000 Eskisehir, Turkey.
Biomedicines
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is consistently reduced in meningiomas, a brain tumor, with further decreases in higher-grade tumors. Combined molecular markers may offer insights into tumor heterogeneity beyond traditional grading.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Molecular Pathology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Meningiomas display significant biological heterogeneity not fully captured by histopathology.
- Tissue-based molecular markers can offer complementary insights into meningioma tumor biology.
- Current diagnostic methods may benefit from additional molecular data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression patterns of Aquaporin-4 (AQP4), miR-216a, miR-320a, and LINC00461 in meningiomas.
- To assess the correlation of these molecular markers with histological grade.
- To evaluate the potential of these markers in reflecting meningioma heterogeneity.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 65 intracranial meningiomas and 13 controls.
- Immunohistochemistry for AQP4 expression.
- RT-qPCR for quantification of miR-216a, miR-320a, and LINC00461 levels.
Main Results:
- Significantly reduced AQP4 expression in meningiomas compared to controls, with further decrease in higher-grade tumors.
- Lower, but not statistically significant, expression of miR-216a and miR-320a in tumor samples.
- Modest significant correlations found between AQP4 and miR-216a, and between miR-216a and miR-320a.
Conclusions:
- AQP4 downregulation is a consistent feature in meningiomas.
- Associated microRNA alterations suggest coordinated but context-dependent expression.
- Combined tissue-level assessment of these markers may provide complementary information on tumor heterogeneity, requiring further validation.
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