title: Expression of pERK and pAKT in pediatric high grade astrocytomas: correlation with YKL40 and prognostic significance.
abstract: The Ras signaling pathway, consisting of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K/AKT signaling, is a prominent oncogenic pathways in adult diffuse gliomas, but few studies have evaluated such pathways in pediatric malignant gliomas. We investigated by immunohistochemistry MAPK and AKT signaling in a series of 28 pediatric high-grade gliomas (WHO grade III and IV). We sought a possible association of phospho-ERK (p-ERK) and phospho-AKT (p-AKT) with expression of other proteins involved in the Ras pathway, that is, YKL40, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), EGFR vIII and c-Met. Moreover we correlated the expression of p-ERK and p-AKT with prognosis. No cases showed expression for c-Met and EGFR, and only one case was positive for EGFR vIII. YKL-40 protein was expressed in 43% of cases. We detected expression of p-ERK and p-AKT in 61% and 57%, respectively, of pediatric high grade gliomas. Statistical analysis comparing the two groups in term of high and low p-ERK and p-AKT expression showed a trend toward worse overall survival in patients with high expression of p-AKT. The activation of ERK and AKT suggest a possible role of this protein in inducing activation of the Ras signaling pathway in pediatric high-grade gliomas. Moreover high levels of p-AKT are associated with worse overall survival.
authors: Department of Radiological, Pathological and Oncological Sciences Neurological Sciences, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. manila_antonelli@yahoo.it
authors: Manila
authors: M
authors: Antonelli
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Massimino
authors: Isabella
authors: I
authors: Morra
authors: Maria Luisa
authors: ML
authors: Garrè
authors: Marina Paola
authors: MP
authors: Gardiman
authors: Francesca Romana
authors: FR
authors: Buttarelli
authors: Antonietta
authors: A
authors: Arcella
authors: Felice
authors: F
authors: Giangaspero
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D037102:Lectins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D037102:Lectins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases