Detection of gene amplification and deletion in high-grade gliomas using a genome DNA microarray (GenoSensor Array 300).

Glioblastoma is a rapidly growing tumor that accounts for more than 50% of all primary gliomas. Amplification of oncogenes and deletion of tumor suppressor genes frequently affects tumor progression. Thus, the goal of this study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of gene aberrations of individual glioblastomas. A genome DNA microarray (GenoSensor Array 300), spotted with 287 target genes, was used to analyze resected tissue from 11 different high-grade gliomas. The average number of gene aberrations was 9.0 per case (WHO grade III) and 13.3 per case (WHO grade IV). EGFR was the most frequent amplified gene in this series (4 of 11 cases), and high-level amplification was also detected for EGFR, SAS/CDK4, and AKT1. A high frequency of deleted genes was observed in 6 of 11 cases (54.5%), including FGFR2, MTAP, and DMBT1. The detected gene aberrations were matched to the classical primary glioblastoma pathway in five of nine cases. We conclude that the GenoSensor Array 300 genomic DNA microarray is a useful method for the comprehensive identification of amplified and deleted genes in glioblastoma.