RESUMO
Objective To explore the expressions and clinical significances of glucose transporter protein-3 (GLUT-3) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in astrocytoma. Methods The astrocytoma tissues from 80 patients with astrocytoma were chosen as experimental group; and the normal cerebral tissues from another 10 patients performed depression around the astrocytoma were chosen as control group. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were employed to detect the GLUT-3 and HIF-1α expressions in these tissues. Results The protein of GLUT-3 in grade Ⅰ, grade Ⅱ, grade Ⅲ and grade Ⅳ astrocytomas were positively expressed, respectively, as 35%, 60%, 80% and 100% by immunohistochemistry; the protein of HIF-1α in grade Ⅰ, grade Ⅱ, grade Ⅲ and grade Ⅳ astrocytomas were positively expressed, respectively, as 20%, 50%, 75% and 95% by immunohistochemistry; positive correlation was noted between the protein levels of GLUT-3 and HIF-1α (r=0.550, P=0.000). The mRNA levels of GLUT-3 in grade Ⅰ, grade Ⅱ, grade Ⅲ and grade Ⅳ astrocytomas were expressed, respectively,as 0.19±0.03, 0.45±0.12, 0.67±0.11 and 0.89±0.19 by RT-PCR; the mRNA levels of HIF-1α were expressed, respectively, as 0.21 ±0.06, 0.48±0.11, 0.72±0.16 and 0.93±0.12 by RT-PCR; and the mRNA expression level of GLUT-3 were positively correlated to that of HIF-1α (r=0.530, P=0.000).Significant difference between each 2 different pathological grades of astrocytoma was noted (P＜0.05). The mRNA expression levels of GLUT-3 and HIF-1α were positively correlated to the pathological grades of astrocytomas (r=0.887, P=0.000; r=0.813, P=0.000). Conclusion The expression of GLUT-3 and HIF-1α in astrocytoma are significantly correlated to tumors' pathology grade, which can be taken as a useful marker for predicting the biological behavior.