# PD-L1 positivity predicts a unique hyperaggressive tumor group within MenG C meningiomas

**Authors:** Vijay Nitturi, Shervin Hosseingholi Nouri, Collin English, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Elizabeth Ledbetter, Diego Rojas, Sean Lau, Malcolm McDonald, Jacob J Mandel, Abdul Basit Khan, Arif O Harmanci, Akdes S Harmanci, Tiemo Klisch, Akash J Patel

PMC · DOI: 10.1093/jncics/pkag023 · 2026-03-07

## TL;DR

This study shows that PD-L1 positivity in MenG C meningiomas indicates a more aggressive tumor type, which could help guide better treatment strategies.

## Contribution

The paper identifies PD-L1 positivity as a marker for a hyperaggressive subgroup within MenG C meningiomas, independent of CDKN2A/B loss.

## Key findings

- PD-L1 positivity is common in MenG C tumors but does not predict recurrence in MenG A and B tumors.
- PD-L1 positivity occurs independently of CDKN2A/B loss in MenG C tumors.
- Molecular profiling should be used to select patients for PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy trials.

## Abstract

Molecular profiling has identified 3 groups of meningiomas, with MenG C tumors exhibiting the vast majority of recurrences. Efforts to find effective treatments for recurrent meningiomas have remained elusive. Higher WHO-grade meningiomas have exhibited greater Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression through various methods, but the prognostic value of PD-L1 expression has not been described in the context of molecular profiling. Additionally, trials investigating PD-1/PD-L1-targeted immunotherapies have produced disappointing results. Here, we find that PD-L1 positivity, while prevalent in MenG C tumors, does not predict recurrence in the benign MenG A and B tumors. PD-L1 positivity also occurs independently of CDKN2A/B loss, a core component of the WHO grade that is regularly used in clinical trial selection criteria. Our results indicate that future clinical trials for PD-1/PD-L1 centric immunotherapies should select patients after molecularly profiling tumors to confirm aggressive MenG C status.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** cdkn2a/b (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A/B (p15, inhibits CDK4)) [NCBI Gene 100329528]
- **Proteins:** CD274 (CD274 molecule)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** PDCD1 (programmed cell death 1) [NCBI Gene 5133] {aka ADMIO4, AIMTBS, CD279, PD-1, PD1, SLEB2}, CD274 (CD274 molecule) [NCBI Gene 29126] {aka ADMIO5, B7-H, B7H1, PD-L1, PDCD1L1, PDCD1LG1}
- **Diseases:** MenG A and B tumors (MESH:D009369), MenG C (OMIM:211750), meningiomas (MESH:D008579)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

1 figure with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13032903/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13032903