Issue release date: 03.07.2024
2Sancaktepe Sehit Prof. Dr. Ilhan Varank Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pathology, Istanbul, Türkiye
3Karadeniz Technical University, Department of Oncology, Trabzon, Türkiye
4Karadeniz Technical University, Department of Neurosurgery, Trabzon, Türkiye
5Karadeniz Technical University, Department of Radiology, Trabzon, Türkiye DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.43334-23.2 AIM: To investigate the status of immune checkpoint molecules (CTLA-4 and TIM-3) in meningiomas and thus contribute to the development of new personalized treatment strategies.
MATERIAL and METHODS: We utilized 402 cases of meningioma for this study. New blocks were prepared using the tissue microarray method, and sections obtained from these blocks were immunohistochemically stained with CTLA-4 and TIM-3 antibodies. Subsequently, statistical analysis were performed.
RESULTS: Our findings revealed that CTLA-4 expression were observed in 25.1% of meningiomas. CTLA-4 expression and the number of expressing lymphocytes were found to be significantly higher in high-grade tumors and in those with brain invasion. Meningiomas with staining of immune cells with TIM-3 are 3.5%, and the tumor grade was correlated with the number of immune cells expressing TIM-3.
CONCLUSION: Immune checkpoint molecules (CTLA-4 and TIM-3) with varying levels of expression can serve as prognostic and predictive biomarkers, as well as important targets for therapy. Drugs developed for CTLA-4 and TIM-3 molecules may prove to be more effective in treating meningiomas with high-grade, brain-invading, spontaneous necrosis, and macronucleolus.
Keywords : CTLA-4, TIM-3, Meningioma, Immunotherapy, Immune checkpoint molecules