Angiogenic profile of childhood primitive neuroectodermal brain tumours/medulloblastomas.
Primitive neuroectodermal brain tumours (PNET) including medulloblastomas (PNET/MB) are the most common malignant brain tumours of childhood. Similar to many other brain tumours, PNET/MB often show marked neovascularisation. To determine which angiogenic factors contribute to PNET/MB angiogenesis, we examined the expression of eight angiogenic factors (vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF, VEGF-B, VEGF-C), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), angiopoetins (Ang-1, Ang-2), transforming growth factor (TGF-alpha), and platelet-derived endothelial growth factor (PDGF-A)) by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in six PNET cell lines and 28 primary PNET/MB. Expression levels of angiogenic factors were compared with microvessel density, TrkC mRNA expression, clinical variables and survival outcomes. Our results indicate that all PNET/MB tested produce a wide range of angiogenic factors that are, individually or together, likely to play a direct role in PNET/MB tumour growth. This suggests that anti-angiogenesis approaches targeting VEGF alone may be insufficient in PNET/MB.
Huber
H
H
Division of Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Eggert
A
A
Janss
A J
AJ
Wiewrodt
R
R
Zhao
H
H
Sutton
L N
LN
Rorke
L B
LB
Phillips
P C
PC
Grotzer
M A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015870:Gene Expression; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018242:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D020812:Receptor, trkC / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D020812:Receptor, trkC