Strong nuclear expression of HOXB13 is a reliable surrogate marker for DNA methylome profiling to distinguish myxopapillary ependymoma from spinal ependymoma.

ABSTRACT: Spinal ependymoma and myxopapillary ependymoma are the two most common spinal ependymal tumor types that feature distinct histological characteristics, genetic alterations and DNA methylation profiles. Their histological distinction may be difficult in individual cases and molecular diagnostic assessment, in particular DNA methylome profiling, may then be required to assign the correct diagnosis. Expression of the homeobox gene HOXB13 at the mRNA and protein levels has been reported as a frequent finding in myxopapillary ependymoma that may serve as a diagnostic marker for these tumors. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic role of HOXB13 immunostaining in 143 spinal neoplasms, comprising 54 histologically classified myxopapillary ependymomas, 46 histologically classified spinal ependymomas, a

SUBMITTER: Purkait S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11947044 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature