title: Podocalyxin expression in malignant astrocytic tumors.
abstract: Podocalyxin is an anti-adhesive mucin-like transmembrane sialoglycoprotein that has been implicated in the development of aggressive forms of cancer. Podocalyxin is also known as keratan sulfate (KS) proteoglycan. Recently, we revealed that highly sulfated KS or another mucin-like transmembrane sialoglycoprotein podoplanin/aggrus is upregulated in malignant astrocytic tumors. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between podocalyxin expression and malignant progression of astrocytic tumors. In this study, 51 astrocytic tumors were investigated for podocalyxin expression using immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, and quantitative real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry detected podocalyxin on the surface of tumor cells in six of 14 anaplastic astrocytomas (42.9%) and in 17 of 31 glioblastomas (54.8%), especially around proliferating endothelial cells. In diffuse astrocytoma, podocalyxin expression was observed only in vascular endothelial cells. Podocalyxin might be associated with the malignant progression of astrocytic tumors, and be a useful prognostic marker for astrocytic tumors.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayatsu
authors.forename: Mika Kato
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mishima
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsutani
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Yukinari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; C001643:podocalyxin