Tetyana Denysenko1, Laura Annovazzi2, Paola Cassoni3, Antonio Melcarne4, Marta Mellai5, Davide Schiffer2. 1. Research Center, Polyclinic of Monza Foundation, Vercelli, Italy Department of Neurosurgery, CTO Hospital/Health and Science City, Turin, Italy. 2. Research Center, Polyclinic of Monza Foundation, Vercelli, Italy. 3. Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin/Health and Science City, Turin, Italy. 4. Department of Neurosurgery, CTO Hospital/Health and Science City, Turin, Italy. 5. Research Center, Polyclinic of Monza Foundation, Vercelli, Italy marta.mellai@cnbo.it.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Aberrant activation of the canonical Wingless-type MMTV integration site family (WNT)/β-catenin signaling pathway is critical for gliomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 74 gliomas of different histological grade and in 24 glioblastoma cell lines, protein expression of WNT member 3a (WNT3a), β-catenin and transcription factor 4 (TCF4) was investigated by immunohistochemistry, western blotting, immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry. In tumors and cell lines, WNT3A expression was assessed at the mRNA level by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: WNT3a was overexpressed at the protein and mRNA levels in malignant astrocytic tumors and cell lines. Cytoplasmic expression of β-catenin was detected in high-grade gliomas and cell lines, with evidence of nuclear translocation on fractionated protein extracts. Activating mutations in the β-catenin encoding gene (CTNNB1) were excluded by direct sequencing. TCF4 was statistically correlated with Ki-67/MIB-1 and cyclin D1 labeling indices. CONCLUSION: Expression of WNT3a, cytoplasmic β-catenin and TCF4 was significantly associated with the histological malignancy grade and with a worse prognosis for patients with glioma. Copyright
BACKGROUND: Aberrant activation of the canonical Wingless-type MMTV integration site family (WNT)/β-catenin signaling pathway is critical for gliomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 74 gliomas of different histological grade and in 24 glioblastoma cell lines, protein expression of WNT member 3a (WNT3a), β-catenin and transcription factor 4 (TCF4) was investigated by immunohistochemistry, western blotting, immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry. In tumors and cell lines, WNT3A expression was assessed at the mRNA level by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS:WNT3a was overexpressed at the protein and mRNA levels in malignant astrocytic tumors and cell lines. Cytoplasmic expression of β-catenin was detected in high-grade gliomas and cell lines, with evidence of nuclear translocation on fractionated protein extracts. Activating mutations in the β-catenin encoding gene (CTNNB1) were excluded by direct sequencing. TCF4 was statistically correlated with Ki-67/MIB-1 and cyclin D1 labeling indices. CONCLUSION: Expression of WNT3a, cytoplasmic β-catenin and TCF4 was significantly associated with the histological malignancy grade and with a worse prognosis for patients with glioma. Copyright