PURPOSE The identification of new molecular markers in astrocytic tumors may help to understand the biology of these tumors in more detail. Informative tumor markers may represent prognostic factors for response to therapy and outcome as well as potential targets for novel anticancer therapies. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Tumor-associated antigens were identified by immunoscreening of a human glioma ...

Although a number of studies have demonstrated proliferation of nonneoplastic astrocytes in experimental animal models, the proliferative potential of human astrocytes has not been well defined. Using double-label immunohistochemistry, we identified proliferating cells with the proliferation marker MIB-1 and astrocytes with glial fibrillary acidic protein staining in human biopsy and autopsy ti...

ditions including retinopathy of prematurity, retinal detachment surgery, uveitis, sickle cell disease, and others. Shields and co-workers [11] described this condition as “presumed acquired retinal hemangioma” and finally as “vasoproliferative tumor” [12] , a name that persists in the current literature and clinical practice. Recent histopathologic analyses have shown that the vascular compone...

Abstract Background Malignant brain tumors are the cause of a disproportionate level morbidity and mortality among cancer patients, an unfortunate statistic that has remained constant for decades. Despite considerable advances in molecular characterization these tumors, targeting cells yet to produce significant treatment. An alternative strategy is target glioblastoma microenvironment, such as...

In previous studies, we have shown that numbers of S100 calcium-binding proteins (including S100A4) are expressed differentially in astrocytic tumors according to their levels of malignancy. S100A4 is involved in tumor progression, cell migration and metastasis. This protein is able to play extracellular roles such as neuritogenic and angiogenic activities. The present study aims to investigate...

Glioblastomas (GBM), the most common and aggressive type of malignant glioma, are characterized by increased invasion into the surrounding brain tissues. Despite intensive therapeutic strategies, the median survival of GBM patients has remained dismal over the last decades. In this study we examined the expression of miR-145 in glial tumors and its function in glioma cells. Using TCGA analysis ...

Diffuse astrocytic gliomas are the most common human glial tumors with glioblastoma being the most malignant form. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene amplification is one of the most common genetic changes in glioblastoma and can lead to the activation of various downstream signaling molecules, including STAT3, MAPK, and AKT. In this study, we investigated the activation status of the...

The normal subtentorial brain cells of newborn mice (C3H/BifB/Ki) were cultured by the monolayer culture technique. The first subculture was inoculated with human adenovirus type 12 (Ad 12) in an attempt to achieve the transformation of the brain cells. Normal cultured cells were morphologically divided into astrocytic cells (Ac-1 cells and Ac-2 cells), immature brain cells including undifferen...

CXCL12, an alpha-chemokine that binds to G-protein-coupled CXCR4, plays an important and unique role in the regulation of stem/progenitor cell trafficking. To elucidate the correlation between the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis and glioblastomas (GBs), the present study assessed CXCR4/CXCL12 expression in 44 astrocytic tumor tissues using immunohistochemical analyses. Several cell lines of brain tumors were...

Glioblastomas may develop de novo (primary glioblastomas) or through progression from low-grade or anaplastic astrocytomas, (secondary glioblastomas). These subtypes of glioblastoma constitute distinct disease entities that evolve through different genetic pathways, affect patients at different ages, and are likely to differ in prognosis and response to therapy. Primary glioblastomas develop in...