O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase immunostaining intensity in glioblastoma

Publication date: Available online 4 November 2017 Source:Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska Author(s): Daniel Jiménez, José Manuel Matamala, Alessandra Chiti, Carmen Vergara, Claudia Tissera, Romulo Melo, Luis Cartier Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) has shown heterogeneous results. Cell staining intensity has not been included as a quantifiable variable in IHC analyses. We performed MGMT IHC in 29 patients diagnosed as glioblastoma classifying cells into three categories based on nuclear staining intensity compared with adjacent endothelium. The median proportions of strong-moderate, weak and no staining cells were 10%, 16% and 71%, respectively. The proportion of positive cases for MGMT expression varies from 38% to 52% depending on the classification of weakly stained cells. This letter challenges previous studies that have not included intensity as a variable for IHC analysis.
Source: Polish Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery - Category: Neurosurgery Source Type: research