Abstract

Background. Meningiomas are the most frequent tumors of the brain and spinal cord with a potency to recur in around one third of the cases and and invade surrounding tissue. Hypoxia driven factors like HIFs (Hypoxia inducible factors) are implicated in tumor cell growth and proliferation.


Aim. This study aims at determining the association of HIF 1 ɑ with different histopathological grades and types of meningiomas.


Methods. This prospective study was conducted on 35 patients. The patients presented with headache (65.71%), seizures (22.86%) and neurological deficits (11.43%). They underwent surgical excision and surgical tissue samples of these patients were histopathologically processed and microscopically graded and typed. Immunohistochemistry was performed using anti-HIF 1ɑ monoclonal antibody. The nuclear expression of HIF 1 ɑ was graded as <10%: negative, 11-50%: mild to moderate positive, >50%: strong positive.


Results. Of the 35 cases so examined 20% were recurrent; 74.29% were WHO grade I with meningothelial type (22.86%), being the commonest; 57.14 % revealed mild to moderate positivity for HIF 1ɑ, while strong positivity was noted in 28.57%. Significant association was found between WHO grade and HIF 1ɑ (p=0.0015) and between histopathological types and HIF 1ɑ (p=0.0433). Furthermore, HIF 1ɑ was also significantly associated with the recurrent cases (p=0.0172).


Conclusion. HIF 1ɑ appears to be a marker and a promising target for effective therapeutics in meningiomas

Keywords

HIF 1ɑ, meningioma, promising, target