title: A tissue microarray study of toll-like receptor 4, decoy receptor 3, and external signal regulated kinase 1/2 expressions in astrocytoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) functions as a death decoy inhibiting apoptosis mediated by the tumor necrosis factor receptor family. It is highly expressed in many tumors and its expression can be regulated by the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway and ERK is a vital member of this pathway. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is expressed on immune cells. Increased TLR4 expression has been associated with various types of cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted to investigate the expression of DcR3, ERK1/2, and TLR4 in astrocytomas and evaluate if they are validating markers for discriminating glioblastoma from anaplastic astrocytoma in limited surgical specimen. Expression of DcR3, ERK1/2, and TLR4 was determined by immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarray from 48 paraffin-embedded tissues. A binary logistic regression method was used to generate functions that discriminate between anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of TLR4 and DcR3 was significantly higher in glioblastomas than in anaplastic astrocytomas. DcR3 could discriminate anaplastic astrocytomas from glioblastomas with high sensitivity (93.8%), specificity (90%), and accuracy (92.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that DcR3 may be a useful marker for discriminating anaplastic astrocytomas from glioblastomas.
authors: Department of Pathology, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Chih-Kung
authors: CK
authors: Lin
authors: National Defense Medical Center, Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Chun-Chieh
authors: CC
authors: Ting
authors: Department of Pathology, National Defense Medical Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Wen-Chiuan
authors: WC
authors: Tsai
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, National Defense Medical Center; School of Dentistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Yuan-Wu
authors: YW
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Neurological Surgery, National Defense Medical Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Dueng-Yuan
authors: DY
authors: Hueng
mesh_terms: D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000032:analysis*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000032:analysis*; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000379:methods; D053323:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 6b / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053323:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 6b; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; C535150:MAPK1 protein, human; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3