Mutations in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene promoter are comparably rare in meningioma, but were recently suggested to predict risk of recurrence and progression.
TERT promoter mutation was associated with shorter progression free survival than TERT wild type meningiomas (median PFS 12.5 vs. 26 months, p = .004).
Following recent studies underlining the differences between de novo and secondary anaplastic meningiomas and the prognostic value of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation, we decided to conduct a multicenter retrospective study to address these questions and determine specific prognostic factors in each of these 2 anaplastic meningioma subgroups.
In meningeal tumors, hTERT promoter methylation is more common than mutations and in meningiomas but not in hemangiopericytomas positively correlated with WHO grade and hTERT expression.
We can overcome the senescence of a Grade III derived meningioma cell line by expressing the telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT), whereas Grade I meningioma cell lines require the expression of the human papillomavirus E6 and E7 oncogenes in conjunction with hTERT.
We have developed a meningioma cell line by retrovirally transducing primary cells derived from a human WHO grade I meningothelial meningioma with the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene, which enables bypassing cellular senescence.