ORCID
- Kevin Herrera Keane: 0009-0008-6973-1078
Abstract
Although schwannomas and meningiomas are generally benign and slow-growing, the mass effect of either tumour within the nervous system causes life-altering symptoms. Individuals with NF2-related schwannomatosis may develop schwannomas and meningiomas, increasing tumour burden. The primary treatment for large or symptomatic schwannomas and meningiomas is surgical resection, which may not be suitable in cases involving tumours located near sensitive neuroanatomy or clinically vulnerable individuals. Not all schwannomas and meningiomas respond to alternative targeted treatments such as stereotactic radiosurgery or the vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor bevacizumab. The main objective of this thesis was to investigate targeting of the receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK as a potential pharmacological intervention in schwannomas and meningiomas. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry demonstrated that MERTK is expressed by tumour cells and macrophages in both tumour types. Western blot indicated that protein levels of MERTK, as well as macrophage markers CD163 and CD68, are highest in passage zero of schwannoma and meningioma primary cells. Drug treatment and immunocytochemistry experiments revealed that inhibition of MERTK by the small-molecule inhibitor UNC2025 reduces the number of tumour cells and macrophages present in schwannoma and meningioma cell cultures, simultaneously decreasing proliferation and increasing apoptosis in both cell types. These findings identify MERTK as a promising target for further pre-clinical investigations as a potential pharmacological intervention for schwannomas and meningiomas.
Awarding Institution(s)
University of Plymouth
Supervisor
Sylwia Ammoun, Oliver Hanemann, Gyorgy Fejer
Keywords
Schwannoma, Meningioma, Macrophages, Tumour Microenvironment
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Date
2025
Embargo Period
2025-11-14
Deposit Date
November 2025
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Herrera Keane, K. (2025) Targeting MERTK on tumour cells and macrophages: a potential intervention for sporadic and NF2-related meningioma and schwannoma tumours. Thesis. University of Plymouth. Retrieved from https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/pms-theses/64
