Immunohistochemical expression of cell cycle/apoptosis regulators and epidermal growth factor receptor in pediatric intracranial ependymomas

J Child Neurol. 2011 Feb;26(2):195-8. doi: 10.1177/0883073810378750. Epub 2010 Aug 16.

Abstract

Intracranial ependymomas are the third most common primary brain tumor in children. We set out to investigate the expression of p-53, p-27, bcl-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor in 13 pediatric infratentorial ependymomas, in correlation with Ki-67/ MIB-1 proliferation index and prognosis. The median progression-free survival was 37.5 months, and the 5-year overall survival was 50%. There was a statistically significant higher expression of Ki-67 and p-53 index in anaplastic tumors. There was also a higher expression of p-27, bcl-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor in anaplastic tumors, but the difference was not statistical significant. No significant correlation was found between overall survival and level of expression of Ki-67, p-53, p-27, bcl-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor. Epidermal growth factor receptor detection in a considerable number of ependymomas probably reflects its role in the neoplastic transformation and can serve as a therapeutic target.

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Brain Neoplasms / mortality
  • Cell Cycle / physiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / metabolism*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Ependymoma / metabolism*
  • Ependymoma / mortality
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Infant
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Ki-67 Antigen / metabolism
  • Male
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27
  • ErbB Receptors