Steroid hormone binding macromolecules in meningiomas. Failure to meet criteria of specific receptors.

Cytoplasmic estrogen and progesterone binding proteins were assayed in 26 meningiomas using an assay developed for the measurement of estrogen and progesterone receptors in human target tissue. The steroid specificity of the binding proteins was studied in both individual and pooled meningioma tissue by competitive binding assays. Eight meningiomas contained significant amounts of estrogen-binding protein and 18 contained significant amounts of progesterone-binding protein. There was no correlation between the amount of hormone-binding protein and patient age, sex, menstrual status or presentation, or tumor occurrence, location, or pathologic features. The competition studies demonstrated a lack of steroid specificity for these hormone-binding proteins. Therefore, the authors conclude that, contrary to recent reports, the hormone-binding proteins found in meningiomas are unlikely to be specific steroid receptors.