@article{3062661,
    title = "Caspase-3 immunohistochemical expression is a marker of apoptosis, increased grade and early recurrence in intracranial meningiomas",
    author = "Konstantinidou, A.E. and Givalos, N. and Gakiopoulou, H. and Korkolopoulou, P. and Kotsiakis, X. and Boviatsis, E. and Agrogiannis, G. and Mahera, H. and Patsouris, E.",
    journal = "Apoptosis",
    year = "2007",
    volume = "12",
    number = "4",
    pages = "695-705",
    issn = "1360-8185, 1573-675X",
    doi = "10.1007/s10495-006-0001-4",
    keywords = "androgen receptor;  biological marker;  caspase 3;  cycline;  DNA topoisomerase (ATP hydrolysing);  estrogen;  Ki 67 antigen;  mitomycin C;  monoclonal antibody;  progesterone;  protein bcl 2;  single stranded DNA, adult;  aged;  apoptosis;  article;  disease course;  disease free survival;  enzyme analysis;  enzyme degradation;  enzyme release;  female;  histopathology;  human;  human cell;  human tissue;  immunohistochemistry;  labeling index;  major clinical study;  male;  meningioma;  mitosis index;  multivariate analysis;  priority journal;  prognosis;  standard;  statistical significance;  tumor recurrence;  univariate analysis, Aged;  Animals;  Apoptosis;  Biological Markers;  Caspase 3;  Enzyme Precursors;  Female;  Humans;  Male;  Meningeal Neoplasms;  Meningioma;  Middle Aged;  Neoplasm Recurrence, Local;  Receptors, Steroid;  Survival Rate",
    abstract = "Caspase-3 is the ultimate executioner caspase that is essential for the nuclear changes associated with apoptosis. We investigated caspase-3 immunohistochemical expression in 58 primary intracranial meningiomas, using one monoclonal antibody detecting both precursor and cleaved caspase-3 (CPP32) and a second recognizing only the cleaved activated form (ASP175). Caspase-3 expression was analyzed in relation to baseline apoptosis-as illustrated by the expression of anti-single stranded DNA (ss-DNA), the antiapoptotic protein bcl-2, proliferation indices (Ki-67, PCNA, topoisomerase IIa, mitosin C), hormonal status (estrogen, progesterone, androgen receptors), standard clinicopathological parameters and patients' disease-free survival. Caspase-3 immunostaining was observed in 62% of cases for CPP32 and in 24% for ASP175. In both instances, the labeling index (LI) was significantly correlated with ss-DNA LI (p=0.038 and p=0.018). CPP32 but not ASP175 LI positively correlated with the mitotic index (p=0.001) and PCNA LI (p=0.004). Both CPP32 and ASP175 LIs were increased in nonbenign meningiomas (p<0.0001 and p=0.0035 respectively). In univariate and multivariate survival analyses, caspase-3 predicted meningioma recurrence, independently affecting disease-free survival (p=0.011 and p=0.047 respectively for CPP32; p<0.0001 and p=0.012 respectively for ASP175). Caspase-3 may prove to be a useful predictor of early recurrence in a group of neoplasms characterized by the frequent discordance between histology and clinical behavior. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC."
}