pSlugS158 Immunohistochemistry is Useful in Grading Meningioma

Snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2, Slug) is a transcription factor that belong to the Slug/Snail superfamily. Site specific phosphorylation of slug (pSlug(S158)) is detected during the M phase, and thus, this phosphorylated protein is considered a novel marker for detecting mitotic figures. Herein, we investigated whether the detection of mitosis using pSlug(S158) expression can be used in the histological grading of meningioma. We performed immunohistochemistry for pSlug(S158) and PHH3 in tissue samples of 61 patients with meningioma and examined the association between mitotic counts using pSlug(S158) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). The nuclear expression of pSlug(S158) was observed in the cell with mitotic figures. Tumor grading based on pSlug(S158) was significantly associated with the RFS (p < .001). It can be concluded that pSlug(S158) is a useful and practical marker to detect mitosis and seems to be reliable for the counting of mitoses in histological grading of meningioma.

Automated summary

This study investigated the use of pSlug(S158) as a marker for detecting mitosis and counting mitoses in the histological grading of meningioma. The results showed that pSlug(S158) is a useful and practical marker that is significantly associated with recurrence-free survival in meningioma patients.