Overexpression of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein 4 (PEBP4) associates with recurrence of meningiomas

Background and purpose: Abnormal expression of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein 4 (PEBP4) has been identified in various types of malignant tumors. In the present study, we investigated the expression of PEBP4 in meningioma cases and examined whether PEBP4 expression was correlated with outcomes among these patients.

Materials and methods: The expression levels of PEBP4 and Ki-67 in human meningioma tissues from 65 patients were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation between PEBP4 immunoreactivity in meningioma samples and patients' clinical outcomes was examined using the Kruskal-Wallis correlation test. The prognostic value of PEBP4 expression in meningiomas patients also was investigated.

Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed up-regulated PEBP4 expression in both atypical and anaplastic meningiomas compared with classical meningiomas (13.38 ± 4.19% vs. 3.64 ± 2.04%, P < 0.001). PEBP4 immunoreactivity in meningioma samples was closely correlated with that for Ki-67 (Spearman r = 0.7922, P < 0.0001). PEBP4 expression was also associated with tumor differentiation grade and clinical recurrence (P < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed with high PEBP4 expression was associated with a longer recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio=0.252, 95% confidence interval: 0.067-0.940, P = 0.040).

Conclusion: PEBP4 may play an important role in the progression of meningioma, as high PEBP4 expression was associated with a higher pathological grade of meningioma. Moreover, PEBP4 expression may be a meaningful prognostic biomarker in meningioma.