ARID1A is a tumor suppressor and inhibits glioma cell proliferation via the PI3K pathway.

This study aims to identify a possible biomarker that could be used in the diagnosis and tumor grade assessment of gliomas. Additionally, the biological role of ARID1A was further characterized in glioma cells. Data was collected from sporadic gliomas specimens (n = 55) and normal brain tissues (n = 5), and ARID1A expression was examined by quantitative RT PCR and western blot. We verified the differential expression of ARID1A and evaluated the associations of ARID1A expression with the pathologic characteristics of gliomas. An ARID1A overexpression plasmid was constructed and transfected into the human glioblastoma cell line U87, and cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined. Our results showed that the ARID1A mRNA in gliomas was significantly down regulated compared to that in normal brain tissues. As the pathological grade (World Health Organization (WHO) classification 2007) increased, the expression of ARID1A is decreased. Overexpression of ARID1A was able to inhibit cell proliferation and arrest cell cycle progression in the G1/S phase, as well as induce cell apoptosis in glioma cells. Furthermore, ARID1A overexpression was accompanied by suppression of glioma cell proliferation via the PI3K pathway and decreased expression of pAKT and pS6K. Therefore, ARID1A may be a useful target for the diagnosis and therapy of gliomas.
Source: Head and Neck Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research