Immunohistochemical Localization of Tenascin-C in Glial Cell Tumors

Kim, Choong Hyun; Bak, Kwoang Hum; Kim, Young Soo; Kim, Jae Min; Ko, Yong; Oh, Suck Jun; Kim, Kwang Myung; Kim, Nam Kyu; Hong, Eun Kyung

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Growth of cerebral gliomas depends on their neovascularization and invasion into the adjacent neural tissue. There are several extracellular and intracellular factors affecting its growth. Tenascin(TN) is a type of extracellular matrix(ECM) protein which may be responsible for the migration of neoplastic cells and tumor angiogenesis, but its exact role has not been established. We studied the relation between the expression of TN and the histological grade of the glial cell tumors as well as to determine the expression of TN-C in tumor vessel.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
In the fifty-six patients with glial cell tumors, we characterized the expression of tenascin-C(TN-C) in the neoplastic vessel, intercellular network, and tumor cell by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibody. The relationship between the histological malignancy and TN-C expression was evaluated. In addition, TN-C expression of the tumor vessels was also examined.
RESULTS
The tumors included 32 glioblastomas, 13 astrocytomas, 4 pilocytic astrocytoma, 3 anaplastic astrocytoma, 1 pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, 1 oligodendroglioma, 1 anaplastic oligodendroglioma, and 1 mixed oligoastrocytoma. TN-C expression in intercellular network of glioblastoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, and astrocytoma was 87. 5%, 66.7%, and 61.5%, respectively. There was a close relationship between the TN-C expression and histological grade of the glial cell tumors. In 28(87.5%) of 32 glioblastomas, TN-C was significantly expressed in the tumor vessels(p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Present results demonstrate that TN-C in the glial cell tumors may be identified as a one of the related factors contributing to malignant progression. And also, enhanced expression of TN-C in the tumor vessels of glioblastoma indicate the possibility that TN-C could be involved in neoplastic angiogenesis.