title: Progesterone receptor isoforms expression pattern in human astrocytomas.
abstract: Progesterone receptors (PR) have been detected in human astrocytomas; however, the expression pattern of PR isoforms in these brain tumors is unknown. Progesterone receptor isoforms expression was studied in 13 biopsies of astrocytomas (6 grade III, and 7 grade IV) from adult Mexican patients by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Progesterone receptor expression was observed at mRNA and at protein levels in 66% and 83% of astrocytomas grade III, respectively, whereas 100% of astrocytomas grade IV expressed PR. Almost all PR mRNA content in astrocytomas grades III and IV corresponded to PR-B. The number of immunoreactive cells expressing PR-B was higher than that expressing PR-A in 73% of the cases. Estrogen receptor-alpha protein was only observed in 33% of astrocytomas grade III, whereas no astrocytomas grade IV expressed it. These data suggest that PR-B is the predominant isoform expressed in human astrocytomas grades III and IV, and that estrogen receptor-alpha is not expressed in astrocytomas grade IV.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, México.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: González-Agüero
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ondarza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gamboa-Domínguez
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cerbón
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Camacho-Arroyo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D004967:Estrogens; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C101118:progesterone receptor A; C097314:progesterone receptor B; D011374:Progesterone