BACKGROUND:
Gliomas are
tumors of the
central nervous system derived from
glial cells. They show cellular heterogeneity and lack specific diagnostic markers. Although a possible
role for the
eicosanoid cascade has been suggested in
glioma tumorigenesis, the relationship between
enzymes and receptors implicated in
arachidonic acid metabolism, with histological
tumor type has not yet been determined.DESIGN AND
METHODS:
Quantitative real-
time reverse transcription-
polymerase chain reaction was performed to
measure and compare transcript levels of
enzymes and receptors implicated in both
lipoxygenase and
cyclooxygenase pathways between
oligodendrogliomas,
astrocytomas,
glioblastomas and
mixed oligoastrocytomas.
RESULTS:
Arachidonic acid metabolism-related
enzymes and receptor transcripts (i) were underexpressed in classical
oligodendrogliomas compared to
astrocytomas and/or
glioblastomas, (ii) differed between
astrocytomas and
glioblastomas and (iii) had an intermediate expression in
mixed oligoastrocytomas.
CONCLUSIONS:
mRNA levels of
enzymes and receptors implicated both in
lipoxygenase and
cyclooxygenase pathways differed significantly in
gliomas according to the histological type(AU)