TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased β-catenin/Tcf signaling in pilocytic astrocytomas
T2 - A comparative study to distinguish pilocytic astrocytomas from low-grade diffuse astrocytomas
AU - Sareddy, Gangadhara Reddy
AU - Geeviman, Khamushavalli
AU - Panigrahi, Manas
AU - Challa, Sundaram
AU - Mahadevan, Anita
AU - Babu, Phanithi Prakash
PY - 2012/1/1
Y1 - 2012/1/1
N2 - Although pilocytic and diffuse grade II astrocytomas considered as low-grade tumors, the distinction between them is still a major clinical problem. Previously we reported the activation of Wnt/β-catenin/Tcf signaling pathway in diffuse astrocytomas, however its role in pilocytic astrocytomas is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the Wnt/β-catenin/Tcf pathway in pilocytic astrocytomas and compared with diffuse astrocytomas. We observed the differential expression of β-catenin, Tcf4, Lef1 and c-Myc in astrocytomas particularly higher levels were observed in pilocytic astrocytomas and GBM while very little expression was documented in grade II tumors. Further, immunohistochemical analysis revealed the strong positivity of β-catenin, Tcf4, Lef1 and c-Myc in pilocytic astrocytomas than that of grade II tumors and also exhibited the strong positivity in vascular endothelial cells of pilocytic astrocytomas and GBM. Hence, Wnt/β-catenin/Tcf signaling pathway is differentially expressed in astrocytomas, activation of this pathway might be helpful in separating pilocytic astrocytomas from low-grade diffuse astrocytomas.
AB - Although pilocytic and diffuse grade II astrocytomas considered as low-grade tumors, the distinction between them is still a major clinical problem. Previously we reported the activation of Wnt/β-catenin/Tcf signaling pathway in diffuse astrocytomas, however its role in pilocytic astrocytomas is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the Wnt/β-catenin/Tcf pathway in pilocytic astrocytomas and compared with diffuse astrocytomas. We observed the differential expression of β-catenin, Tcf4, Lef1 and c-Myc in astrocytomas particularly higher levels were observed in pilocytic astrocytomas and GBM while very little expression was documented in grade II tumors. Further, immunohistochemical analysis revealed the strong positivity of β-catenin, Tcf4, Lef1 and c-Myc in pilocytic astrocytomas than that of grade II tumors and also exhibited the strong positivity in vascular endothelial cells of pilocytic astrocytomas and GBM. Hence, Wnt/β-catenin/Tcf signaling pathway is differentially expressed in astrocytomas, activation of this pathway might be helpful in separating pilocytic astrocytomas from low-grade diffuse astrocytomas.
KW - Differential expression
KW - Diffuse astrocytoma
KW - Pilocytic astrocytoma
KW - β-catenin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84856237404&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84856237404&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11064-011-0586-z
DO - 10.1007/s11064-011-0586-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 21922255
AN - SCOPUS:84856237404
VL - 37
SP - 96
EP - 104
JO - Neurochemical Research
JF - Neurochemical Research
SN - 0364-3190
IS - 1
ER -