High Expression Of CXCL12 And CXCR4 Predicts Recurrence Of Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma In Children

Objectives To explore the expression the levels of CXCL12, CXCR4 and Ki-67 in adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas(ACP) in children and to clarify the correlation between the expression of CXCL12, CXCR4 and Ki-67 and the recurrence prognosis of children ACP.Methods Samples of 45 child patients with adamantinomatous craniophygionmas were collected, including recurrent tumors in 27 and nonrecurrent tumors in 18. The m RNA and protein levels of CXCL12,CXCR4 and Ki-67 m RNA and protein were detected by highthroughput microarray analysis, quantitative real-time PCR(q RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry.Results The microarray results showed that the expressions of CXCL12 and CXCR4 genes were significantly increased in recurrent samples. The resuls of q RT-PCR showed that the expression levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 m RNA were significantly increased in recurrent samples. Immunohistocheistry results showed representative IHC stains for CXCL12 expression. CXCL12 was expressed in 27 patients(27/45, 60.0%). In the 27 cases expressing CXCL12, the majority of CXCL12 expression was localized on the cell membrane with a cytoplasmic distribution. Positive cells of CXCL12 were showed predominantly in the stellate cells inside the nests. CXCL12 was expressed at a high level in 14 out of 45(31.1%) and at a low level in 31/45(68.9%). The 18 patients who were negative for the expression of CXCL12 were also grouped as having a low expression level. CXCR4 expression was negative in 20 cases(44.4%) and positive in 25 cases(55.6%). CXCR4 showed a primarily nuclear expression in palisading cells at the periphery and stellate cells inside the nests. The positive staining of Ki-67 was restricted to the nucleus of peripherally palisading cells, and percentage of ki-67 stained ranged from less than 1% to 14% in ACP tissues. A weak association was found between CXCR4 and Ki-67 protein expression(Spearman coefficient r=0.28, P=0.06), while CXCL12 and Ki-67 protein expression were not significantly correlated(Spearman coefficient r=0.15, P=0.32).Conclusions The high level of CXCL12 and CXCR4 expression may contribute to the recurrence of ACP patients.