Human meningiomas co‐express platelet‐derived growth factor (pdgf) and pdgf‐receptor genes and their protein products

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Abstract
The present studies investigated the expression of the platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) and PDGF‐receptor genes in human meningiomas. Northern blot analysis demon strated that all meningiomas examined expressed both the c‐sis/PDGF‐2 proto‐oncogene and the PDGF‐receptor gene. In situ hybridization localized the c‐sis mRNA and the PDGF receptor mRNA in the tumor cells of the meningioma tissues. Control pachymeninges derived from adult individuals, with out meningiomas, expressed only PDGF‐receptor mRNA but not the c‐sis mRNA. Immunocytochemistry studies detected both the c‐sis and the PDGF‐receptor protein products in me ningioma tissues but only the PDGF‐receptor protein prod ucts in control pachymeninges. These findings indicate the presence of an autocrine mechanism in human meningiomas based on the co‐expression of the c‐sis/PDGF‐2 proto‐onco gene and PDGF‐receptor gene and their protein products. This co‐expression of a potent mitogen and its receptor may contribute to the growth and maintenance of human menin giomas.