Expression of PDGF and its receptor as well as their relationship to proliferating activity and apoptosis of meningiomas in human meningiomas.

In this study, we detected the expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and its receptor in 61 human meningiomas by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation. The results showed that almost all the 61 meningiomas expressed PDGFBB and PDGF beta receptor and the positive rate of PDGFAA was 49%. Only two meningiomas expressed PDGF alpha receptor. The positive rate and the immunostaining intensity of PDGFBB and PDGF beta receptor were higher in atypical meningiomas than in benign types. There was no significant difference between the different types of benign meningiomas. The expression of PDGFB chain mRNA was coincident with that of PDGFB chain protein. There was no correlation between the expression of PDGFAA and the types or grades of meningiomas. The correlation between overexpression of PDGFBB/R beta and tumour grade provides a useful parameter in evaluating the prognosis of patients with meningiomas. The proliferative activity of meningiomas was evaluated by the proliferating cell nuclear antigen labelling index (PCNA LI). In the 61 meningiomas, the average PCNA LI (%) was 1.8+/-1.3, 1.9+/-1.3, 1.7+/-0.8 and 11.6+/-5.3 (in fibrous, meningothelial, transitional and atypical meningiomas, respectively). Statistic analysis shows that the PCNA LI is higher in atypical meningiomas than that in benign types, and there was no significant difference between the different types of benign meningiomas. The expression of PDGFBB and PDGF beta receptor was significant enhanced in ascending order from low PCNA LI meningiomas to high ones. This result suggested that PDGFBB/R beta autocrine loop may stimulate the growth of meningiomas. In this study, we also detected the cell apoptosis of meningiomas by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) method. The average apoptosis labelling index (%) was 0.11+/-0.05, 0.08+/-0.04, 0.09+/-0.03 and 0.35+/-0.15 in fibrous, meningothelial, transitional and atypical meningiomas respectively. The apoptosis labelling index was higher in atypical meningiomas than that in benign types. There was a positive correlation between the apoptosis labelling index and PC NA LI of meningioma. When the positive rate of PDGFBB and/or PDGF beta receptor was higher in meningioma, the apoptotic cells was also increased. In conclusion, the overexpression of PDGFBB and its relevant receptor PDGFR beta in meningiomas was correlated with grade of meningiomas and the proliferative activity of meningiomas; PDGFBB/R beta autocrine loop may play an critical role in the pathogenesis of meningiomas. Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.