Page 138 - MI-2-3

Microbes & Immunity

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Cellular and molecular characteristics of

low-grade central nervous system tumors
revealing modulations in Ki-67/propidium

iodide, MMP2, VEGFR2, and CD11b/Iba1:
Analyses of post-operative samples

1,4
Krishnendu Ghosh 1,2,3 , Pritha Bhattacharjee 2 , and Anirban Ghosh *
1 Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Panihati Mahavidyalaya (West Bengal State
University), Sodepur, West Bengal, India
2 Environmental Epigenomics Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, University of
Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
3 Department of Pathology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United
States of America
4 Cell Development and Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, School of Sciences,
Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Abstract
*Corresponding author:
Anirban Ghosh The World Health Organization’s 2016 and 2021 classifications of central nervous system
(anirbanghosh@wbnsou.ac.in;
aghosh06@gmail.com) (CNS) tumors emphasize the integration of histopathological and molecular profiling
for improved prognostic and therapeutic precision. Understanding the molecular
Citation: Ghosh K, Bhattacharjee P,
Ghosh A. Cellular and molecular hallmarks of low-grade CNS tumors is essential for enabling precision therapies and
characteristics of low-grade central minimizing off-target effects while preventing malignant transformation. This study
nervous system tumors revealing investigated key oncogenic features in surgically resected low-grade CNS tumors
modulations in Ki-67/propidium
iodide, MMP2, VEGFR2, and of varying cellular lineages and anatomical locations, alongside associated clinical
CD11b/Iba1: Analyses of post- metadata. Tumors were histologically classified and analyzed for molecular markers
operative samples. Microbes & using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry.
Immunity. 2025;2(3):130-144.
doi: 10.36922/MI025190040 Assessed hallmarks included proliferation (Ki-67, propidium iodide index), invasiveness
(matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]-2), neovascularization (vascular endothelial
Received: May 8, 2025
growth factor receptor 2 [VEGFR2], epigenetic modulation (DNA methyltransferase
Revised: June 5, 2025 1 [DNMT1], and immune microenvironment (Cluster of Differentiation 11b [CD11b],
Accepted: June 6, 2025 Iba1, silver-gold macrophage staining). Statistical analyses included t-tests, one-way
ANOVA, and Kruskal–Wallis tests (p<0.05). In diffuse astrocytoma and myxopapillary
Published online: July 16, 2025
ependymoma, a proliferation–invasion dichotomy was observed, with lower-
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). proliferative ependymomas exhibiting higher MMP-2 expression. Astrocytomas
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the exhibited elevated DNMT1 expression, indicative of increased epigenetic alterations.
Creative Commons Attribution Immune profiling revealed tumor-specific differences: CD11b macrophages
+
License, permitting distribution, +
and reproduction in any medium, were more prominent in meningiomas, while Iba1 microglia were enriched in
provided the original work is astrocytomas, reflecting distinct immune microenvironments. Despite their low-
properly cited. grade classification, these tumors demonstrated hallmark cancer characteristics,
Publisher’s Note: AccScience variably expressed across astrocytoma, ependymoma, and meningioma. The
Publishing remains neutral with combined assessment of Ki-67, MMP-2, VEGFR2, DNMT1, CD11b, and Iba1 provides
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional a prognostically informative and therapeutically exploitable profile. These findings
affiliations. support the integration of molecular profiling into risk stratification and adjunctive

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 130 doi: 10.36922/MI025190040