Androgen receptors in meningiomas

Meningiomas have been hypothesized as being hormonally sensitive on the basis of epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory evidence. Eight meningiomas were assayed and found to have androgen-binding protein. Three tumors were subjected to in vitro growth studies in varying concentrations of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The growth of tumor 1 was unaltered. Tumor 2 demonstrated 9% to 10% growth (P less than 0.05) in all concentrations tested. Tumor 3 revealed an 11% stimulation, but only in the lowest concentration of DHT tested. The small quantity, saturability, and in one tumor, high binding affinity, suggest this binding protein is a receptor. The in vitro response of these meningiomas was small and was not dose-related or proportionate to receptor quantity. Androgens do not appear to play as important a role as progesterone or estrogen in meningioma growth in vitro.