Exclusion of histiocytes/endothelial cells and using endothelial cells as internal reference are crucial for interpretation of MGMT immunohistochemistry in glioblastoma

Am J Surg Pathol. 2013 Feb;37(2):264-71. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0b013e318267b061.

Abstract

We evaluated the predictive value of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) protein expression and MGMT promoter methylation status in glioblastomas (GBM) treated with temozolomide (TMZ) in a Taiwan medical center. Protein expression by immunohistochemical analysis (IHC) and MGMT promoter methylation detected by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) were performed in a series of 107 newly diagnosed GBMs. We used endothelial cells as an internal reference for IHC staining because the staining intensities of the MGMT-expressing cells in different specimens varied considerably; a positive result was defined as the staining intensity of the majority of tumor cells similar to that of the adjacent endothelial cells. Immunostainings for microglial/endothelial markers were included as part of the MGMT IHC evaluation, and in cases that were difficult to interpret, double-labeling helped to clarify the nature of reactive cells. The MGMT protein expression was reversely associated with MGMT promoter methylation status in 83.7% of cases (MSP/IHC and MSP/IHC; Pearson r=-0.644, P<0.001). Twenty-two of 24 (91.7%) IHC tumors did not respond to TMZ treatment. Combining MSP and IHC results, all the 15 MSP/IHC GBMs were TMZ resistant. The MGMT status detected by either IHC or MSP was significantly correlated with the TMZ treatment response (both P<0.001) and survival of GBM patients (both P<0.05).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA Methylation
  • DNA Modification Methylases / genetics
  • DNA Modification Methylases / metabolism*
  • DNA Repair Enzymes / genetics
  • DNA Repair Enzymes / metabolism*
  • Dacarbazine / analogs & derivatives
  • Dacarbazine / therapeutic use
  • Endothelium, Vascular / drug effects
  • Endothelium, Vascular / metabolism
  • Endothelium, Vascular / pathology*
  • Female
  • Glioblastoma / diagnosis*
  • Glioblastoma / drug therapy
  • Glioblastoma / metabolism
  • Histiocytes / drug effects
  • Histiocytes / metabolism
  • Histiocytes / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Staining and Labeling / methods
  • Survival Rate
  • Taiwan / epidemiology
  • Temozolomide
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • Dacarbazine
  • DNA Modification Methylases
  • MGMT protein, human
  • DNA Repair Enzymes
  • Temozolomide