Effect of hypoxic microenvironment on expression of stem cell marker (nestin) in astrocytic tumors

Introduction: Gliomas account for 40% of the primary central nervous system tumors in western countries, and for about one-third (37.3%) in Egypt. Identification of the cellular origin of gliomas presents an opportunity for improving the treatment strategies. It has been postulated that astrocytomas may be originated from neural stem cells. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is considered one of the key hypoxia regulatory factors. Hypoxia may be a critical component of a stem cell niche and contributes to the tumor initiation and maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs). In the present study, we hypothesized that the expression of stem cell marker (nestin) and hypoxia marker (HIF-1α) may be upregulated with increasing grades of astrocytomas. In addition, there is a correlation between hypoxia and stem cell marker in all grades of astrocytomas in both tumor cells (TRCs) and vascular endothelial cells (VECs). To explore our hypothesis, this study was organized into specific aims: (a) analysis of the immunohistochemical expression of nestin and HIF-1α in different grades of astrocytomas and (b) analysis of the correlation between nestin and HIF-1α in different grades of astrocytomas. Materials and methods: Paraffin-embedded sections of 43 specimens of astrocytic tumors (nine pilocytic astrocytoma, 13 diffuse astrocytomas, seven anaplastic astrocytomas, and 14 glioblastoma multiforme) and six normal brain tissue (as a control) were stained with nestin and HIF-1α using stan...
Source: Egyptian Journal of Pathology - Category: Pathology Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research