Summary
Oestrogen receptor (ER) analysis was performed in 70 meningiomas with an enzyme immunoassay, using monoclonal antibodies against human oestrogen receptor protein (oestrophilin) and with a sensitive radioligand binding assay, using 125I-oestradiol as radioligand. Low levels of ER immunoreactivity were found in tumours from 51% of patients, whereas ER binding activity was demonstrated in 40% of the meningiomas examined. In 8 (11%) tissue samples multiple binding sites for oestradiol were observed. The immunoreactive binding sites corresponded to the classical, high-affinity ER. In ligand binding studies, however, measurement of classical ER was considerably influenced by a second low-affinity, high-capacity oestrogen binding component even at low ligand concentrations. 3H-methylpromegestone and 3H-methyltrienolone, a synthetic gestagen and androgen, were used for concurrent determination of the progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR) binding activity. High concentrations of PR were detected in 53 (76%), whereas moderate levels of AR binding sites were demonstrated in 33 (47%) tumours. A positive correlation between ER immunoreactivity and AR binding activity is indicative for an oestrogen regulation of AR via the ER system. The presence of gonadal steroid receptors in a large proportion of meningiomas and the tendency for a dependence of receptor concentrations on the histological subtype could have implications for tumour therapy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benson RC, Utz DC, Holicky E, Veneziale CM (1985) Androgen receptor binding activity in human prostate cancer. Cancer 55:382–388
Bickerstaff ER, Small JM, Guest IA (1958) The relapsing course of certain meningiomas in relation to pregnancy and menstruation. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 121:89–91
Cushing H, Eisenhardt L (1938) Meningiomas: their classification, regional behaviour, life history and surgical end results. Thomas, Springfield, Ill
Donnel MS, Meyer GA, Donegan WL (1979) Estrogen-receptor protein in intracranial meningiomas. J Neurosurg 150:499–502
Donnelly BJ, Lakey WH, McBlain WA (1984) Androgen binding sites on nuclear matrix of normal and hyperplastic human prostate. J Urol 131:806–811
Eriksson H, Upchurch S, Hardin JW (1978) Heterogeneity of estrogen receptors in the cytosol and nuclear fractions of the rat uterus. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 181:1–4
Feldman HA (1972) Mathematical theroy of complex ligand binding systems at equilibrium: some methods for parameter fitting. Anal Biochem 48:317–326
Greene GL, Jensen EV (1982) Monoclonal antibodies as probes for estrogen receptor detection and characterization. J Steroid Biochem 116:353–357
Hochberg RB, Rosner W (1980) Interaction of 16β-(125I)iodoestradiol with estrogen receptor and other steroid binding proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:328–332
Horwitz KB, McGuire WL (1977) Estrogen and progesterone: their relationship in hormone-dependent breast cancer. In: McGuire WL, Raynaud JP, Baulieu BE (eds) Progesterone receptors in normal and neoplastic tissues. Raven Press, New York, pp 103–124
Horwitz KB, McGuire WL (1978) Estrogen control of progesterone in human breast cancer. J Biol Chem 253:2223–2228
Lesch KP, Fahlbusch R (1986) Simultaneous estrogen and progesterone receptor analysis in meningiomas. Surg Neurol 26:257–263
Lesch KP, Schott W, Engl HG, Fahlbusch R (1987) Estrophilin immunoreactivity in meningiomas: evidence for multiple estrogen binding sites. Acta Neurochir (in press)
Markwalder TM, Zava DT, Goldhirsch A (1983) Estrogen and progesterone receptors in relation to clinical and pathological features. Surg Neurol 20:42–47
Martuza RL, Miller DC, MacLaughlin DT (1985) Estrogen and progestin binding by cytosolic and nuclear fractions of human meningioma. J Neurosurg 162:750–756
Panko WB, Clark JH (1981) The effect of a second specific estrogen binding site on estrogen receptor quantitation in human breast cancer cytosol. J Steroid Biochem 15:383–385
Poisson M, Pertuiset BF, Hauw JJ (1983) Steroid hormone receptors in human meningiomas, gliomas and brain metastases. J Neurooncol 1:179–189
Rand CW, Andler M (1950) Tumors of the brain complicating pregnancy. Arch Neurol Psychiatry 163:1–42
Rochefort H (1984) Biochemical basis of cancer treatment by androgens and progestins. In: McGuire WL (ed) Hormones and cancer. Liss, New York, pp 79–95
Rosenthal H (1967) A graphic method for the determination and presentation of binding parameters in a complex system. Anal Biochem 20:525–531
Scatchard G (1949) The attraction of proteins for small molecules and ions. Ann NY Acad Sci 151:660–672
Schoenberg BS (1983) The epidemiology of central nervous system tumors. In: Walker MD (ed) Oncology of the nervous system. Martinus Nijhoff, Boston, pp 1–30
Smith RG, Clarke SG, Zalta E (1979) Two estrogen receptors in reproductive tissue. J Steroid Biochem 10:31–33
Syne JS, Markaverich BM, Clark JH (1982) Estrogen binding sites in the nucleus of normal and malignant human tissue: characteristics of the multiple nuclear binding sites. Cancer Res 42:4449–4453
Wilson JD (1980) The pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Am J Med 168:745–801
Zava DT, Landrum B, Horwitz KB, McGuire WL (1979) Androgen receptor assay with 3H-methyltrienolone (R 1881) in the presence of progesterone receptors. Endocrinology 104:1007–1012
Zülch KJ (1979) Histological typing of tumours of the central nervous system. WHO, Geneva
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lesch, KP., Schott, W., Engl, HG. et al. Gonadal steroid receptors in meningiomas. J Neurol 234, 328–333 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314289
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314289