Is CD147 a New Biomarker Reflecting Histological Malignancy of Gliomas?

CD147 belongs to immunoglobulin superfamily and can stimulate the surrounding fibroblasts to secret matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Studies showed that when compared with their normal counterparts, CD47 expression level increased in lung carcinoma tissue, breast cancer tissue, and bladder cancer tissue. They increase in line with a tumor's malignant progression, invasiveness, and metastasis. However, the precise implications and utility of the presence of CD147 in the WHO grading system for gliomas have rarely been reported; in addition, the signal transduction pathways regarding CD147 remain unclear and controversial. Thus, in performing a meta-analysis, it is essential to reach a reliable conclusion. The related literatures were incorporated into the present meta-analysis after careful assessment, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity evaluation was estimated. Ten studies involving 615 patients were found to be eligible, nine of which were conducted in China and the remaining one in Japan. Analysis of eight studies involving dichotomous data revealed that CD147 overexpression in glioma tissue was related to higher WHO grading (III + IV; OR, 9.900; 95 % CI, 5.943, 16.491; P = 0.000) closely, whereas analysis of three studies of continuous data type indicated that there were no statistical associations (standard mean difference, -1.894; 95 % CI, -4.081, 0.293; P = 0.090). In accordance with funnel plot, Egger test, and Begg test, there was no publication bias. Considering that the continuous data make up only a small proportion of the overall analysis, we believe that our study indicates that CD147 overexpression is potentially related to higher WHO grade. Certainly, more data compiled based on evidence-based medicine are required to further support this conclusion.