title: The expressions of Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related components in brainstem gliomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The overall prognosis of brainstem gliomas is very poor, and the current treatment cannot significantly prolong the overall survival of these patients; therefore, studying the molecular biological mechanisms of the occurrence and development of brainstem gliomas has important significance for their treatment. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is closely associated with the occurrence and development of tumors, but its relationship with brainstem gliomas remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used Western blot and immunohistochemistry methods to detect the expressions of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related components such as Wnt-1, Wnt-2, β-catenin and C-myc in six cases of normal brain tissues and 24 cases of brainstem gliomas and analyzed the relationship between their expressions and clinicopathological characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wnt-1 had no obvious expression in normal brain tissues and did not show any significant difference between high- and low-grade brainstem gliomas; the expressions of Wnt-2, β-catenin and C-myc in high-grade brainstem gliomas were significantly higher than that in low-grade brainstem gliomas and normal brain tissues and were positively correlated with the expression of Ki-67. Moreover, the expressions of Wnt-2 and C-myc were significantly associated with the prognosis of brainstem glioma patients; additionally, there was a trend toward increased β-catenin expression with shorter survival, but there was no statistical difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway might be abnormally activated and plays an important role in the occurrence and development of brainstem gliomas. Wnt-2, β-catenin and C-myc may be potential targets for brainstem glioma treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital.
authors.forename: Wenhao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yongji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Yongmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Junhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; C489427:MYC protein, human; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin