title: Activated ERK1/2 expression in glioblastoma multiforme and in peritumor tissue.
abstract: Anomalies of growth factor signaling have been reported in malignant human gliomas. The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) play a crucial role in transducing growth factor signals to the nucleus and are involved in a wide range of biological responses, including cell proliferation, differentiation and motility. ERK1/2 is expressed and activated in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). However, no information is available in literature concerning the presence and activity of ERK1/2 in the peritumor tissue. In the present study, we evaluated by immunohistochemistry total and phosphorylated (t and p) ERK1/2 expression in 31 cases of primary GBM and in tissue surrounding the enhanced lesion at different distances up to 3.5 cm from the tumor margin. Total ERK1/2 was, as expected, uniformly expressed not only in GBM but in the areas around the tumor also, which showed higher levels of immunolabeling. ERK1/2 activation was observed in GBM as well as in peritumor tissue, with no statistical difference in the level of the enzymatic activities. In particular, in the peritumor tissue pERK1/2 was present independently of neoplastic cells not only in reactive astrocytes, but in apparently normal glial cells also. These results indicate that ERK1/2 pathway may participate in GBM growth and progression. In addition, they strongly suggest that ERK1/2 stimulation may be linked not only to tissue reactivity to tumor invasion, but also to cell motility or represent per se a sign of transformation. Finally, our findings highlight the meaning of the extension of neoplasm fingers beyond the outer margin of GBM. Patients with neoplastic cells at <10% or without neoplastic cells in peritumor areas showed a higher survival time compared with those with neoplastic elements at > or = 10%. In addition, a percentage > or = 10 of neoplastic elements in peritumor tissue was associated with an approximately 4-fold increased death risk.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lama
authors.forename: Annunziato
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangiola
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anile
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sabatino
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Bonis
authors.forename: Libero
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lauriola
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giannitelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Torre
authors.forename: Meena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jhanwar-Uniyal
authors.forename: Gigliola
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sica
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases