Clinical and radiological features related to the growth potential of meningioma

Clinical and radiological features that help predict the growth potential of meningioma would be beneficial. The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics related to proliferating potential using the MIB-1 staining index. We analyzed the relationship of MIB-1 staining indices to characteristics of 342 consecutive patients with meningioma surgically removed between 1995 and 2004 by logistic regression analysis. One hundred and forty-nine of the patients with meningioma were ≥60 in age; 89 male; 48 recurrent; 203 symptomatic; 157 at the skull base; 124 over 20 cm(3); 24 multiple; 136 with edema; 117 with calcification. The MIB-1 staining index in 56 of 296 grade I meningiomas in WHO classification was ≥ 3.0; in 27 of 28 grade II; and in 17 of 18 grade III, respectively. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that male (odds ratio [OR], 2.374, p=0.003), recurrence (OR, 7.574, p=0.0001), skull base (OR, 0.540, p=0.035), calcification (OR, 0.498, p=0.019) were independent risk factors for a high MIB-1 staining index (≥3.0); age, symptomatic, volume, multiple, edema were not. Male, recurrence, non-skull base, absence of calcification are independent risk factors for a high proliferative potential. These should be taken into consideration when managing meningiomas

Implications of a RAD54L polymorphism (2290C/T) in human meningiomas as a risk factor and/or a genetic marker

BACKGROUND: RAD54L (OMIM 603615, Locus Link 8438) has been proposed as a candidate oncosupressor in tumours bearing a non-random deletion of 1p32, such as breast or colon carcinomas, lymphomas and meningiomas. In a search for RAD54L mutations in 29 menigiomas with allelic deletions in 1p, the only genetic change observed was a silent C/T transition at nucleotide 2290 in exon 18. In this communication the possible association of the 2290C/T polymorphism with the risk of meningiomas was examined. In addition, the usefulness of this polymorphism as a genetic marker within the meningioma consensus deletion region in 1p32 was also verified. The present study comprises 287 blood control samples and 70 meningiomas from Spain and Ecuador. Matched blood samples were only available from Spanish patients. RESULTS: The frequency of the rare allele-T and heterozygotes for the 2290C/T polymorphism in the blood of Spanish meningioma patients and in the Ecuadorian meningioma tumours was higher than in the control population (P < 0.05). Four other rare variants (2290C/G, 2299C/G, 2313G/A, 2344A/G) were found within 50 bp at the 3' end of RAD54L. Frequent loss of heterozygosity for the 2290C/T SNP in meningiomas allowed to further narrow the 1p32 consensus region of deletion in meningiomas to either 2.08 Mbp – within D1S2713 (44.35 Mbp) and RAD54L (46.43 Mbp) – or to 1.47 Mbp – within RAD54L and D1S2134 (47.90 Mbp) – according to recent gene mapping results. CONCLUSION: The statistical analysis of genotypes at the 2290C/T polymorphism suggest an association between the rare T allele and the development of meningeal tumours. This polymorphism can be used as a genetic marker inside the consensus deletion region at 1p32 in meningiomas

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 serum levels in ovarian cancer patients

The chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 is an important mediator of monocyte infiltration in various solid tumours of epithelial origin. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of MCP-1 in the natural history of ovarian cancer and to determine its value as differentiation marker and prognostic marker regarding disease free and overall survival. This retrospective study comprises 86 patients with ovarian cancer, 48 with primary ovarian cancer and 38 with recurrent ovarian cancer, 67 patients with benign ovarian cysts and 42 healthy women. Median serum levels in patients with primary ovarian cancer, recurrent ovarian cancer, benign ovarian cysts and in healthy women were 535.6 (range 129.6–1200) pg ml–1, 427.3 (range 193.4–1101) pg ml–1, 371.2 (range 222–986.8) pg ml–1 and 318.7 (range 241.3–681.4) pg ml–1 respectively (Mann–Whitney U-test, P < 0.001). Univariate logistic regression models revealed a significant influence of MCP-1 serum levels on the odds of presenting with primary ovarian cancer versus benign cysts and versus healthy women respectively (univariate logistic regression, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001 respectively). In a multivariate logistic regression model considering MCP-1 and CA 125 serum levels simultaneously, both MCP-1 and CA 125 revealed statistical significance on the odds of presenting with primary ovarian cancer versus benign cysts (multivariate logistic regression, P = 0.05 and P < 0.001 respectively). In ovarian cancer patients, MCP-1 serum levels showed a statistically significant correlation with histological grade (Mann–Whitney U-test, P = 0.02) and age at the time of diagnosis (Mann–Whitney U-test, P = 0.03). Elevated MCP-1 serum levels prior to therapy were not associated with disease-free and overall survival (log-rank test, P = 0.2 and P = 0.7 respectively). In summary these data indicate that MCP-1 might play a functional role in the natural history of ovarian cancer and might serve as differentiation marker between benign ovarian cysts and ovarian cancer, providing additional information to the established tumour marker CA 125. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Incidence of first primary central nervous system tumors in California, 2001–2005

We examined the incidence of first primary central nervous system tumors (PCNST) in California from 2001–2005. This study period represents the first five years of data collection of benign PCNST by the California Cancer Registry. California’s age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIR) for malignant and benign PCNST (5.5 and 8.5 per 100,000, respectively). Malignant PCNST were highest among non-Hispanic white males (7.8 per 100,000). Benign PCNST were highest among African American females (10.5 per 100,000). Hispanics, those with the lowest socioeconomic status, and those who lived in rural California were found to be significantly younger at diagnosis. Glioblastoma was the most frequent malignant histology, while meningioma had the highest incidence among benign histologies (2.6 and 4.5 per 100,000, respectively). This study is the first in the US to compare malignant to benign PCNST using a population-based data source. It illustrates the importance of PCNST surveillance in California and in diverse communities

MoVam7, a Conserved SNARE Involved in Vacuole Assembly, Is Required for Growth, Endocytosis, ROS Accumulation, and Pathogenesis of Magnaporthe oryzae

Soluble NSF attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins play a central role in membrane fusion and vesicle transport of eukaryotic organisms including fungi. We previously identified MoSce22 as a homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae SNARE protein Sec22 to be involved in growth, stress resistance, and pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae. Here, we provide evidences that MoVam7, an ortholog of S. cerevisiae SNARE protein Vam7, exerts conserved functions in vacuolar morphogenesis and functions in pathogenicity of M. oryzae. Staining with neutral red and FM4-64 revealed the presence of abnormal fragmented vacuoles and an absence of the Spitzenkörper body in the ΔMovam7 mutant. The ΔMovam7 mutant also exhibited reduced vegetative growth, poor conidiation, and failure to produce the infection structure appressorium. Additionally, treatments with cell wall perturbing agents indicated weakened cell walls and altered distributions of the cell wall component chitin. Furthermore, the ΔMovam7 mutant showed a reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the hyphal apex and failed to cause diseases on the rice plant. In summary, our studies indicate that MoVam7, like MoSec22, is a component of the SNARE complex whose functions in vacuole assembly also underlies the growth, conidiation, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity of M. oryzae. Further studies of MoVam7, MoSec22, and additional members of the SNARE complex are likely to reveal critical mechanisms in vacuole formation and membrane trafficking that is linked to fungal pathogenicity

R-SNARE Homolog MoSec22 Is Required for Conidiogenesis, Cell Wall Integrity, and Pathogenesis of Magnaporthe oryzae

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins mediate intracellular vesicle fusion, which is an essential cellular process of the eukaryotic cells. To investigate the role of SNARE proteins in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, MoSec22, an ortholog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae SNARE protein Sec22, was identified and the MoSEC22 gene disrupted. MoSec22 restored a S. cerevisiae sec22 mutant in resistance to cell wall perturbing agents, and the ΔMosec22 mutant also exhibited defects in mycelial growth, conidial production, and infection of the host plant. Treatment with oxidative stress inducers indicated a breach in cell wall integrity, and staining and quantification assays suggested abnormal chitin deposition on the lateral walls of hyphae of the ΔMosec22 mutant. Furthermore, hypersensitivity to the oxidative stress correlates with the reduced expression of the extracellular enzymes peroxidases and laccases. Our study thus provides new evidence on the conserved function of Sec22 among fungal organisms and indicates that MoSec22 has a role in maintaining cell wall integrity affecting the growth, morphogenesis, and virulence of M. oryzae

BMC Cancer

BACKGROUND: Although some countries have observed a stabilization in the incidence of CNS, an increasing incidence has been reported from multiple studies. Recent observations point out to the heterogeneity of incidence trends according to histological subtypes, gender and age-groups. Using a high-quality regional CNS tumor registry, this article describes the trends of CNS tumor incidence for main histological subtypes, including benign and malignant tumors, in the French department of Gironde from 2000 to 2012. METHODS: Crude and age-standardized incidence rates were calculated globally, by histological subtypes, malignant status, gender and age groups. For trends, annual percent changes (APC) were obtained from a piecewise log-linear model. RESULTS: A total of 3515 CNS tumors was registered during the period. The incidence of overall CNS tumors was 19/100000 person-years (8.3/100000 for neuroepithelial tumors and 7.3/100000 for meningeal tumors). An increased incidence of overall CNS tumors was observed from 2000 to 2012 (APC = + 2.7%; 95%-confidence interval (CI): 1.8-3.7). This trend was mainly explained by an increase in the incidence of meningiomas over the period (APC = + 5.4%, 95%-CI: 3.8-7.0). The increased incidence rate of CNS tumors was more pronounced in female and in older patients even though the incidence rate increased in all age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Part of the temporal variation may be attributed to improvement in registration, diagnosis and clinical practices but also to changes in potential risk factors. Thus, etiological studies on CNS tumors are needed to clarify this rising trend