Immunohistochemical and genetic markers to distinguish hemangiopericytoma and meningioma.

Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) and meningioma, for their morphology immunohistochemical markers similarity, were usually confused especially before surgery. This study aimed to develop a panel of biomarkers to differentiate HPC from meningioma. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining were employed to determine the levels of p53, bcl-2, c-myc, vimentin, CD34, FVIIIa, MGMT and reticular fiber in 15 meningiomas, HPCs and their normal controls. We found that, in the mRNA expression level, both Bcl-2 and c-myc were high in HPC and meningiomas, but bcl-2 was higher in HPC than in meningiomas, c-myc was lower in HPC than in meningiomas. In protein expression level, reticular fibers were around most HPC tumor cells but observed null in meningiomas; CD34 and FVIIIa were both found positive in HPCs but negative in meningiomas; MGMT was weak focal in HPC but strong diffuse in meningiomas. In conclusion, bcl-2, c-myc, and MGMT could be employed as the new panels of biomarkers for distinguishing HPC from meningiomas.