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MUC 4 expression in meningiomas: under‐recognized immunophenotype particularly in meningothelial and angiomatous subtypes
Author(s) -
Matsuyama Atsuji,
Jotatsu Mao,
Uchihashi Kazuyoshi,
Tsuda Yojiro,
Shiba Eisuke,
Haratake Joji,
Hisaoka Masanori
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/his.13730
Subject(s) - pathology , immunohistochemistry , meningioma , solitary fibrous tumor , mesenchymal stem cell , medicine , biology , cd34 , stem cell , genetics
Aims MUC 4 is a transmembrane glycoprotein that plays a role in cell growth signalling and is expressed in various epithelial tissues. Gene expression profiling and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that MUC 4 is also constantly and specifically expressed in low‐grade fibromyxoid sarcomas and sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcomas among the mesenchymal tumours, and immunohistochemical detection of MUC 4 is extremely useful for their diagnoses. In our routine pathological practice, we noticed that meningiomas are also often positive for MUC 4, which has not yet been reported previously, despite the extensive scrutiny of its expression in soft tissue tumours. Methods and results We examined immunohistochemically the expression of MUC 4, progesterone receptor (PgR) and somatostatin receptor 2A ( SSTR 2A) in 140 meningiomas of various histological subtypes and 123 other mesenchymal tumours, including intracranial or sinonasal tumours and peripheral nerve sheath tumours. MUC 4 was expressed in 130 meningiomas (92.9%). MUC 4 expression was constant and almost diffuse in meningothelial and angiomatous subtypes, whereas it was limited in 5% or fewer tumour cells or absent in 26 of 28 fibrous meningiomas. All other mesenchymal tumours examined were negative for MUC 4. PgR and SSTR 2A were expressed in 94 (67.1%) and 134 (95.7%) meningiomas, respectively. Five of six SSTR 2A‐negative meningiomas focally expressed MUC 4. Conclusions MUC 4 is expressed variably but almost consistently in meningiomas, particularly in meningothelial or angiomatous subtypes. Its immunohistochemical detection is useful to distinguish meningiomas from other intracranial or head and neck mesenchymal tumours, particularly those with epithelioid features. Our study could expand a variety of MUC 4‐positive mesenchymal tumours.