ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPAR) in human glioma tissue and its influence on tumor growth.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression of PPAR mRNA in glioma tissue was determined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Subsequently, MTT (3-(4, 5)-dimethylthiahiazo(-z-y1)-3, 5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide) assay, flow cytometry, reactive oxygen species assay kit and Western blotting were used to assay U87 cells with agonist activity of PPAR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The data demonstrated that the expression of PPAR in glioma was low and negatively correlated with its pathological grade. Activation of PPAR suppresses tumor cell proliferation, delays the cell cycle at G1 phrase, and induces apoptosis and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in U87 cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression of PPAR mRNA in human glioma was low. PPAR protein plays a critical role in the progression of glioma via the PPAR signal pathway.</p>