NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - US researchers have identified a gene that appears to play a key role in facilitating the growth of gliomas, according to a report published in the March 18th issue of Nature. Dr. Igor Garkavtsev, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues show that a candidate tumor suppressor gene, ING4, is an important regulator of brain tumor growth and angiogenesis.
Previous reports have suggested that induction of angiogenesis is critical for the malignant progression of glioblastomas. The researchers found that ING4 expression is greatly reduced in glioma specimens compared with healthy brain tissue. Moreover, as ING4 expression decreased, tumor grade increased.
Using mice with human xenografts, the authors found that a glioblastoma line with decreased ING4 expression grew much faster than control tumors. ING4’s ability to inhibit angiogenesis and tumor growth appeared to involve an interaction with NF-kappaB.
“These results indicate that ING4 has an important role in brain tumor pathogenesis,” the investigators note. “The direct participation of ING4 in the NF-kappaB signaling pathway indicates that ING4 is a candidate tumor suppressor gene and that its activation contributes to brain tumor growth and angiogenesis.”
Source: Nature 2004;428:328-331. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:DNA-Binding Proteins: Glioma: Neoplasms: Neoplasms by Histologic Type: Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal: Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial: Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue: Nuclear Proteins: Transcription Factors: NF-kappa B: Neuroectodermal Tumors: Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial: DiseasesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.