Overexpression of the neuropilin 1 (NRP1) gene correlated with poor prognosis in human glioma

Anticancer Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;24(2B):547-52.

Abstract

We studied whether the expression of the Neuropilin (NRP) gene was correlated with clinicopathological features in glioma. We examined the gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, Flt-1, KDR, NRP1 and NRP2 in 37 gliomas by real time reverse transcriptase PCR (real time RT-PCR) as well as immunohistochemical analysis. The vascular counts of each tumor were evaluated by anti-CD34 antibody. NRP1 mRNA overexpression was significantly higher in neoplastic tissue compared to normal brain tissue samples. The higher grade of glioma overexpressed the NRP1 gene significantly (p=0.0015). The glioma patients with NRP1 overexpression showed a poorer prognosis (p=0.0202) than those without such overexpression. NRP1 was observed in the glioma cells by immunohistochemical analyses. VEGF-A and VEGFR overexpression did not show any correlation with the clinicopathological features, including NRP expression. These results suggest that NRP1 overexpression, rather than VEGF-A or VEGFR, contributes to tumor progression and has clinical significance for glioma.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Gene Expression
  • Glioma / blood supply
  • Glioma / genetics
  • Glioma / metabolism*
  • Glioma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / genetics
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism
  • Neuropilin-1 / biosynthesis*
  • Neuropilin-1 / genetics
  • Neuropilin-2 / biosynthesis
  • Neuropilin-2 / genetics
  • Prognosis
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / biosynthesis
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / biosynthesis
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / genetics

Substances

  • Neuropilin-2
  • Neuropilin-1
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2