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Meningiomas are one of the most frequent intracranial tumours, with 13 histological types and three grades according to the 2007 WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System. p53, as one of the most potent tumour suppressor proteins, plays a role in nearly 50% of human tumours. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a DNA repair enzyme with high ATP demand. It plays a role in apoptosis by activating an apoptosis inducing factor, and in necrosis by consuming NAD+ and ATP. Only PARP1 has been investigated in detail in tumours out of the 17 members of the PARP superfamily; however, its role has not been studied in meningiomas yet. The aim of this study was to determine the role ofp53 and PARP1 in meningiomas of different grade and to establish whether there is any correlation between the p53 and PARP1 expression. Both PARP1 and p53 have been expressed in all examined meningiomas. PARP1 labelled grade II tumours with a higher intensity as compared to grade I and III neoplasms, respectively. An increased p53 expression was noted in grade III meningiomas. There was no statistical correlation between p53 and PARP1 expression. Our data indicate that both PARP1 and p53 activation is a feature in meningiomas of higher grade, PARP1 overexpression being an early, whereas p53 overexpression, a late event in tumour progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]