Analysis of epidermal growth factor receptor gene amplification and alteration in stereotactic biopsies of brain tumors

Clinical Determinants of Long-Term Survival in Patients with Glioblastoma Multiforme

Repeated reports of more than ten years postoperative survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GM) have appeared in the literature over the last decades. Authors have tried to identify the clinical, therapeutic and histological features determining long-term survival. We present two patients in whom, after radical removal of the tumor followed by conventional radiation, there has been no recurrence for at least ten years. The young age of the patients and the radical surgical approach were in accordance with previous reports of long-term survival. Nevertheless, one tumor originated from the thalamus, a location considered to be of unfavorable prognosis. We therefore further discuss the value of clinical signs as determinants in the prognosis of GM.

Dual growth arrest pathways in astrocytes and astrocytic tumors in response to Raf-1 activation

Normal human fibroblasts have been shown to undergo a p16(Ink4a)-associated senescence-like growth arrest in response to sustained activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. We noted a similar p16(Ink4a)-associated, senescence-like arrest in normal human astrocytes in response to expression of a conditional form of Raf-1. While HPV16 E7-mediated functional inactivation of the p16(Ink4a)/pRb pathway in astrocytes blocked the p16(Ink4a)-associated growth arrest in response to activation of Raf-1, it also revealed a second p21(Cip1)-associated, senescence-associated, beta-galactosidase-independent growth arrest pathway. Importantly, the p21(Cip1)-associated pathway was present not only in normal astrocytes but also in p53-, p14(ARF)-, and p16(Ink4a)/pRb-deficient high grade glioma cells that lacked the p16(Ink4a)-dependent arrest mechanism. These results suggest that normal human cells have redundant arrest pathways, which can be activated by Raf-1, and that even tumors that have dismantled p16(Ink4a)-dependent growth arrest pathways are potentially regulated by a second p21(Cip1)-dependent growth arrest pathway.

Ras activation in astrocytomas and neurofibromas

Oncogenic mutations resulting in activated Ras Guanosine Triphosphate (GTP) are prevalent in 30% of all human cancers, but not primary nervous system tumors. Several growth factors/receptors are implicated in the pathogenesis of malignant astrocytomas including epidermal growth factor (EGFR) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-R) receptors, plus the highly potent and specific angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A significant proportion of these tumors also express a truncated EGFR, which is constitutively activated. Our work demonstrates that the mitogenic signals from both the normal PDGF-R and EGFR and the truncated EGFR activate Ras. Inhibition of Ras by genetic or pharmacological strategies leads to decreased astrocytoma tumorgenic growth in vitro and decreased expression of VEGF. This suggests that these agents may be potentially important as novel anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic therapies for human malignant astrocytomas. In contrast to astrocytomas, where increased levels of activated Ras GTP results from transmitted signals from activated growth factor receptors, the loss of neurofibromin is postulated to lead to functional up-regulation of the Ras pathway in neurofibromatosis-1(NF-1). We have demonstrated that NF-1 neurofibromas and neurogenic sarcomas, compared to non-NF-1 Schwannomas, have markedly elevated levels of activated Ras GTP. Increased Ras GTP was associated with increased tumor vascularity in the NF-1 neurogenic sarcomas, perhaps related to increased VEGF secretion. The role of Ras inhibitors as potential therapy in this tumor is also under study.

Gene transfection-mediated overexpression of beta1,4-N-acetylglucosamine bisecting oligosaccharides in glioma cell line U373 MG inhibits epidermal growth factor receptor function

N-linked oligosaccharides appear to be important for the function of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. In a previous study (Rebbaa, A., Yamamoto, H., Moskal, J. R., and Bremer, E. G. (1996) J. Neurochem. 67, 2265-2272), we showed that binding of the erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutin lectin from Phaseolus vulgaris to the bisecting structures on the EGF receptor from U373 MG glioma cells blocked EGF binding and receptor autophosphorylation. In this study we examined the consequences of overexpression of the bisecting structure on the EGF receptor by gene transfection of U373 MG cells with the N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnT-III). This modification leads to a significant decrease in EGF binding and EGF receptor autophosphorylation. In addition, the cellular response to EGF was found to be altered. Proliferation of U373 MG cells in serum-free medium is inhibited by EGF. In contrast, proliferation of the GnT-III-transfected cells was stimulated by EGF. These data demonstrate that changes in EGF receptor glycosylation by GnT-III transfection reduces the number of the active receptors in U373 MG cells and that this change results in change in the cellular response to EGF.