Thesis (Ph.D.). / Written for the Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/05/09). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Oct. 9, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-101).

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

No description available.

O câncer de mama é a neoplasia mais comum entre as mulheres. Sua etiologia é complexa, onde tanto fatores ambientais como genéticos podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento tumoral. Estima-se que 5 a 10% dos casos de carcinomas de mama sejam representados pelos carcinomas de mama familial e 90 a 95% sejam representados pelos carcinomas de mama esporádicos. Independente da etiologia, um dos principais agravantes é consequência da habilidade das células tumorais metastizar. Mutações podem levar a mudança ou perda de expressão de diferentes genes e isto possibilita que as células adquiram particularidades genéticas e fenotípicas que contribuem para a progressão do tumor através da aquisição de vantagens que medeiam a sua sobrevivência. Dentre estas vantagens adquiridas está a capacidade das células tumorais de escaparem da destruição pelas células imunológicas ou, até mesmo, utilizarem estas células a seu favor, na promoção de um microambiente tumoral inflamatório que pode auxiliar o desenvolvimento da angiogênese que posteriormente facilitará a metástase. As características dos carcinomas de mama são as principais ferramentas para avaliação do diagnóstico e prognóstico da doença. Portanto, o objetivo de nosso trabalho foi a análise de quatro variantes polimórficas de genes que codificam importantes moléculas do sistema imunológico, duas relacionadas aos genes que codificam os receptores de quimiocinas, CCR2 e CCR5, e duas relacionadas ao gene HLA-G em 188 mulheres com carcinoma de mama (105 com câncer de mama familial e 83 com câncer de mama esporádico) e em 151 mulheres sem carcinoma e sem história familiar de câncer (grupo controle), como possíveis marcadores de diagnóstico e prognóstico do carcinoma de mama. Para a análise da variante do CCR2, denominada CCR264I, e para a análise de uma das variantes que codifica a molécula de HLA-G, denominada +3142, utilizou-se a técnica PCR-RFLP. Para a análise da variante do gene CCR5, denominada CCR5delta32 e para a análise da outra variante do HLA-G, caracterizada pela inserção de 14pb na região 3’UTR do gene, utilizou-se a técnica PCR. As frequências alélicas, genotípicas e haplotípicas foram estimadas e comparadas entre os grupos de mulheres, usando o Teste Qui-Quadrado ou o Teste Exato de Fisher e, posteriormente, foram relacionadas a fatores de diagnóstico e prognóstico. Observou-se maiores frequências dos alelos selvagens do CCR2, Val (p=0,040, OR 0,61, IC 95% = 0,38 – 0,98) e do CCR5, Wt (p=0,032, OR 0,46, IC 95% = 0,23 – 0,94) e maior frequência do haplótipo duplo selvagem Wt/Val destas mesmas variantes gênicas dos genes CCR2 e CCR5, nas mulheres do grupo controle (p=0,030) em relação às mulheres com câncer de mama familial. Quando as variantes foram avaliadas em conjunto com os parâmetros clínicos, observou-se que as mulheres com carcinoma de mama esporádico apresentavam a doença em idade mais elevada (57,29 ± 8,457 anos e 44,23 ± 12,092 anos para mulheres com câncer de mama esporádico e familial, respectivamente, p < 0.001) e de forma mais agressiva, com maior frequência dos carcinomas invasores (p = 0,001) que as mulheres com carcinoma de mama familial. Além disso, as variantes de inserção/deleção de 14 pb do HLA-G e CCR264I, mostraram relação positiva com a agressividade tumoral nestas mulheres (p = 0,039 e p = 0,005). Nossos dados sugerem que os carcinomas invasores possam estar relacionados a uma maior infiltração de células imunológicas e com o aumento da inflamação no microambiente tumoral, mediados pelo receptor CCR2 e pela molécula HLA-G, respectivamente. / Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Its etiology is complex, where genetic, environmental and endocrine factors contribute to tumor development. It is estimated that 5 to 10% of the breast cancers are represented by familial breast cancers and 90 to 95% are represented by sporadic breast cancers. Independent of the etiology, the major aggravating consequence is the ability of tumor cells to metastasize. Mutations can lead to a change or loss of expression a different genes and this allows the appearance of genetic and phenotypic features which contribute to tumor progression. Among these features is the ability of tumor cells to evade from the immune cells or even use immune cells in the promotion of a inflammatory microenvironment promotion which may help angiogenesis and, later, metastasis. The aim of our study was to evaluate four important polymorphic variants of genes which encode important immune system molecules, two related genes encoding chemokine receptors, CCR2 and CCR5, and two related to HLA-G gene in 188 women with breast cancer (105 women with familial breast cancer and 83 with sporadic breast cancer) and 151 women without cancer and family history of cancer (control group), such as potential markers for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. CCR2 polymorphism, CCR264I, and one HLA-G polymorphism, +3142, were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. CCR5delta32 and 14pb HLA-G polymorphism were genotyped by PCR. Allelic, genotypic and haplotypic frequencies were estimated and compared between the groups using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and subsequently were associated to diagnostic and prognostic factors. We observed a higher allelic frequency of the CCR2 wild type allele, Val (p = 0.040, OR 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38 - 0.98) e CCR5 wild type allele, Wt (p = 0.032, OR 0.46, CI 95% = 0.23 - 0.94) and higher haplotype frequency of the double wild type variants (Wt/Val) of these same genes (CCR2 and CCR5) in women in the control group (p = 0.030) compared to women with familial breast cancer. All polymorphisms were evaluated together with the clinical parameters and it was observed that women with breast cancer showed sporadic cancer latter (57.29 ± 8.457 years and 44.23 ± 12.092 years for women with sporadic breast cancer and familial breast cancer, respectively, p < 0.001) and more invasiveness (p = 0.001) as compared to women with familial breast cancer. Moreover, the HLA-G 14pb and CCR264I polymorphism, showed a positive association with tumor aggressiveness in women with sporadic breast cancer (p = 0.039 and p = 0.005, respectively). Our data suggest that invasive cancers may be associated with increased immune cells infiltration and inflammation in the tumor microenvironment mediated by both CCR2 receptor and HLA-G molecule.

O câncer de mama é a neoplasia mais comum entre as mulheres. Sua etiologia é complexa, onde tanto fatores ambientais como genéticos podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento tumoral. Estima-se que 5 a 10% dos casos de carcinomas de mama sejam representados pelos carcinomas de mama familial e 90 a 95% sejam representados pelos carcinomas de mama esporádicos. Independente da etiologia, um dos principais agravantes é consequência da habilidade das células tumorais metastizar. Mutações podem levar a mudança ou perda de expressão de diferentes genes e isto possibilita que as células adquiram particularidades genéticas e fenotípicas que contribuem para a progressão do tumor através da aquisição de vantagens que medeiam a sua sobrevivência. Dentre estas vantagens adquiridas está a capacidade das células tumorais de escaparem da destruição pelas células imunológicas ou, até mesmo, utilizarem estas células a seu favor, na promoção de um microambiente tumoral inflamatório que pode auxiliar o desenvolvimento da angiogênese que posteriormente facilitará a metástase. As características dos carcinomas de mama são as principais ferramentas para avaliação do diagnóstico e prognóstico da doença. Portanto, o objetivo de nosso trabalho foi a análise de quatro variantes polimórficas de genes que codificam importantes moléculas do sistema imunológico, duas relacionadas aos genes que codificam os receptores de quimiocinas, CCR2 e CCR5, e duas relacionadas ao gene HLA-G em 188 mulheres com carcinoma de mama (105 com câncer de mama familial e 83 com câncer de mama esporádico) e em 151 mulheres sem carcinoma e sem história familiar de câncer (grupo controle), como possíveis marcadores de diagnóstico e prognóstico do carcinoma de mama. Para a análise da variante do CCR2, denominada CCR264I, e para a análise de uma das variantes que codifica a molécula de HLA-G, denominada +3142, utilizou-se a técnica PCR-RFLP. Para a análise da variante do gene CCR5, denominada CCR5delta32 e para a análise da outra variante do HLA-G, caracterizada pela inserção de 14pb na região 3’UTR do gene, utilizou-se a técnica PCR. As frequências alélicas, genotípicas e haplotípicas foram estimadas e comparadas entre os grupos de mulheres, usando o Teste Qui-Quadrado ou o Teste Exato de Fisher e, posteriormente, foram relacionadas a fatores de diagnóstico e prognóstico. Observou-se maiores frequências dos alelos selvagens do CCR2, Val (p=0,040, OR 0,61, IC 95% = 0,38 – 0,98) e do CCR5, Wt (p=0,032, OR 0,46, IC 95% = 0,23 – 0,94) e maior frequência do haplótipo duplo selvagem Wt/Val destas mesmas variantes gênicas dos genes CCR2 e CCR5, nas mulheres do grupo controle (p=0,030) em relação às mulheres com câncer de mama familial. Quando as variantes foram avaliadas em conjunto com os parâmetros clínicos, observou-se que as mulheres com carcinoma de mama esporádico apresentavam a doença em idade mais elevada (57,29 ± 8,457 anos e 44,23 ± 12,092 anos para mulheres com câncer de mama esporádico e familial, respectivamente, p < 0.001) e de forma mais agressiva, com maior frequência dos carcinomas invasores (p = 0,001) que as mulheres com carcinoma de mama familial. Além disso, as variantes de inserção/deleção de 14 pb do HLA-G e CCR264I, mostraram relação positiva com a agressividade tumoral nestas mulheres (p = 0,039 e p = 0,005). Nossos dados sugerem que os carcinomas invasores possam estar relacionados a uma maior infiltração de células imunológicas e com o aumento da inflamação no microambiente tumoral, mediados pelo receptor CCR2 e pela molécula HLA-G, respectivamente. / Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Its etiology is complex, where genetic, environmental and endocrine factors contribute to tumor development. It is estimated that 5 to 10% of the breast cancers are represented by familial breast cancers and 90 to 95% are represented by sporadic breast cancers. Independent of the etiology, the major aggravating consequence is the ability of tumor cells to metastasize. Mutations can lead to a change or loss of expression a different genes and this allows the appearance of genetic and phenotypic features which contribute to tumor progression. Among these features is the ability of tumor cells to evade from the immune cells or even use immune cells in the promotion of a inflammatory microenvironment promotion which may help angiogenesis and, later, metastasis. The aim of our study was to evaluate four important polymorphic variants of genes which encode important immune system molecules, two related genes encoding chemokine receptors, CCR2 and CCR5, and two related to HLA-G gene in 188 women with breast cancer (105 women with familial breast cancer and 83 with sporadic breast cancer) and 151 women without cancer and family history of cancer (control group), such as potential markers for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. CCR2 polymorphism, CCR264I, and one HLA-G polymorphism, +3142, were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. CCR5delta32 and 14pb HLA-G polymorphism were genotyped by PCR. Allelic, genotypic and haplotypic frequencies were estimated and compared between the groups using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and subsequently were associated to diagnostic and prognostic factors. We observed a higher allelic frequency of the CCR2 wild type allele, Val (p = 0.040, OR 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38 - 0.98) e CCR5 wild type allele, Wt (p = 0.032, OR 0.46, CI 95% = 0.23 - 0.94) and higher haplotype frequency of the double wild type variants (Wt/Val) of these same genes (CCR2 and CCR5) in women in the control group (p = 0.030) compared to women with familial breast cancer. All polymorphisms were evaluated together with the clinical parameters and it was observed that women with breast cancer showed sporadic cancer latter (57.29 ± 8.457 years and 44.23 ± 12.092 years for women with sporadic breast cancer and familial breast cancer, respectively, p < 0.001) and more invasiveness (p = 0.001) as compared to women with familial breast cancer. Moreover, the HLA-G 14pb and CCR264I polymorphism, showed a positive association with tumor aggressiveness in women with sporadic breast cancer (p = 0.039 and p = 0.005, respectively). Our data suggest that invasive cancers may be associated with increased immune cells infiltration and inflammation in the tumor microenvironment mediated by both CCR2 receptor and HLA-G molecule.

O câncer de mama é a neoplasia mais comum entre as mulheres. Sua etiologia é complexa, onde tanto fatores ambientais como genéticos podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento tumoral. Estima-se que 5 a 10% dos casos de carcinomas de mama sejam representados pelos carcinomas de mama familial e 90 a 95% sejam representados pelos carcinomas de mama esporádicos. Independente da etiologia, um dos principais agravantes é consequência da habilidade das células tumorais metastizar. Mutações podem levar a mudança ou perda de expressão de diferentes genes e isto possibilita que as células adquiram particularidades genéticas e fenotípicas que contribuem para a progressão do tumor através da aquisição de vantagens que medeiam a sua sobrevivência. Dentre estas vantagens adquiridas está a capacidade das células tumorais de escaparem da destruição pelas células imunológicas ou, até mesmo, utilizarem estas células a seu favor, na promoção de um microambiente tumoral inflamatório que pode auxiliar o desenvolvimento da angiogênese que posteriormente facilitará a metástase. As características dos carcinomas de mama são as principais ferramentas para avaliação do diagnóstico e prognóstico da doença. Portanto, o objetivo de nosso trabalho foi a análise de quatro variantes polimórficas de genes que codificam importantes moléculas do sistema imunológico, duas relacionadas aos genes que codificam os receptores de quimiocinas, CCR2 e CCR5, e duas relacionadas ao gene HLA-G em 188 mulheres com carcinoma de mama (105 com câncer de mama familial e 83 com câncer de mama esporádico) e em 151 mulheres sem carcinoma e sem história familiar de câncer (grupo controle), como possíveis marcadores de diagnóstico e prognóstico do carcinoma de mama. Para a análise da variante do CCR2, denominada CCR264I, e para a análise de uma das variantes que codifica a molécula de HLA-G, denominada +3142, utilizou-se a técnica PCR-RFLP. Para a análise da variante do gene CCR5, denominada CCR5delta32 e para a análise da outra variante do HLA-G, caracterizada pela inserção de 14pb na região 3’UTR do gene, utilizou-se a técnica PCR. As frequências alélicas, genotípicas e haplotípicas foram estimadas e comparadas entre os grupos de mulheres, usando o Teste Qui-Quadrado ou o Teste Exato de Fisher e, posteriormente, foram relacionadas a fatores de diagnóstico e prognóstico. Observou-se maiores frequências dos alelos selvagens do CCR2, Val (p=0,040, OR 0,61, IC 95% = 0,38 – 0,98) e do CCR5, Wt (p=0,032, OR 0,46, IC 95% = 0,23 – 0,94) e maior frequência do haplótipo duplo selvagem Wt/Val destas mesmas variantes gênicas dos genes CCR2 e CCR5, nas mulheres do grupo controle (p=0,030) em relação às mulheres com câncer de mama familial. Quando as variantes foram avaliadas em conjunto com os parâmetros clínicos, observou-se que as mulheres com carcinoma de mama esporádico apresentavam a doença em idade mais elevada (57,29 ± 8,457 anos e 44,23 ± 12,092 anos para mulheres com câncer de mama esporádico e familial, respectivamente, p < 0.001) e de forma mais agressiva, com maior frequência dos carcinomas invasores (p = 0,001) que as mulheres com carcinoma de mama familial. Além disso, as variantes de inserção/deleção de 14 pb do HLA-G e CCR264I, mostraram relação positiva com a agressividade tumoral nestas mulheres (p = 0,039 e p = 0,005). Nossos dados sugerem que os carcinomas invasores possam estar relacionados a uma maior infiltração de células imunológicas e com o aumento da inflamação no microambiente tumoral, mediados pelo receptor CCR2 e pela molécula HLA-G, respectivamente. / Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Its etiology is complex, where genetic, environmental and endocrine factors contribute to tumor development. It is estimated that 5 to 10% of the breast cancers are represented by familial breast cancers and 90 to 95% are represented by sporadic breast cancers. Independent of the etiology, the major aggravating consequence is the ability of tumor cells to metastasize. Mutations can lead to a change or loss of expression a different genes and this allows the appearance of genetic and phenotypic features which contribute to tumor progression. Among these features is the ability of tumor cells to evade from the immune cells or even use immune cells in the promotion of a inflammatory microenvironment promotion which may help angiogenesis and, later, metastasis. The aim of our study was to evaluate four important polymorphic variants of genes which encode important immune system molecules, two related genes encoding chemokine receptors, CCR2 and CCR5, and two related to HLA-G gene in 188 women with breast cancer (105 women with familial breast cancer and 83 with sporadic breast cancer) and 151 women without cancer and family history of cancer (control group), such as potential markers for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. CCR2 polymorphism, CCR264I, and one HLA-G polymorphism, +3142, were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. CCR5delta32 and 14pb HLA-G polymorphism were genotyped by PCR. Allelic, genotypic and haplotypic frequencies were estimated and compared between the groups using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and subsequently were associated to diagnostic and prognostic factors. We observed a higher allelic frequency of the CCR2 wild type allele, Val (p = 0.040, OR 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38 - 0.98) e CCR5 wild type allele, Wt (p = 0.032, OR 0.46, CI 95% = 0.23 - 0.94) and higher haplotype frequency of the double wild type variants (Wt/Val) of these same genes (CCR2 and CCR5) in women in the control group (p = 0.030) compared to women with familial breast cancer. All polymorphisms were evaluated together with the clinical parameters and it was observed that women with breast cancer showed sporadic cancer latter (57.29 ± 8.457 years and 44.23 ± 12.092 years for women with sporadic breast cancer and familial breast cancer, respectively, p < 0.001) and more invasiveness (p = 0.001) as compared to women with familial breast cancer. Moreover, the HLA-G 14pb and CCR264I polymorphism, showed a positive association with tumor aggressiveness in women with sporadic breast cancer (p = 0.039 and p = 0.005, respectively). Our data suggest that invasive cancers may be associated with increased immune cells infiltration and inflammation in the tumor microenvironment mediated by both CCR2 receptor and HLA-G molecule.

Heterotrophic plate counts (HPCs) are commonly used to assess the general microbiological quality of drinking water. Drinking water quality specifications world-wide recommend HPC limits from 100 to 500 cfu.m1-1. However, a number of recent studies revealed evidence that commonly used indicator bacteria may not be as harmless as generally accepted. It appears that immuno-compromised individuals, which represent increasing components of many consumer populations, are particularly at risk. This would include the very young and very old, patients with diseases such as AIDS, and patients on therapy after organ transplantations and cancer treatment. Since, epidemiological and animal infectivity studies are complex and difficult to control, attempts have been made by researchers to examine HPCs directly in order to assess health risks. These analyses included: cytotoxicity, invasiveness, enzyme analyses, antibiotic susceptibility and identification. In this study, 339 bacterial colonies were isolated at random from selected drinking water supplies in South Africa using heterotrophic plate count tests. In a first step to screen for potentially pathogenic properties, 188 (55.5%) of the isolates showed α- and β-haemolysis on human- and horse-blood agar media. Subsequent analysis of the haemolytic isolates for enzymatic properties associated with pathogenicity revealed the presence of chondroitinase in 5.3% of the isolates, coagulase in 16.0%, DNase in 60.6%, elastase in 33 .0%, fibrinolysin in 53.7%, gelatinase in 62.2%, hyaluronidase in 21. 3 %, lecithinase in 47.9%, lipase in 54.8%, and proteinase in 64.4%. Fluorescein and pyocyanin were not produced by any of the isolates. The Kirby-Bauer quality controlled disc diffusion method was applied in the demonstration of antibiotic resistance by the HPC isolates. Among the haemolytic isolates 77.7% were resistant to oxacillin (1 µg), 59.6% to penicillin G (2 units), 47.3% to penicillin G (10 units), 54.3% to ampicillin (10 µg) and 43.1% to ampicillin (25 µg). Cell culture studies revealed that 96% of haemolytic isolates were cytotoxic to HEp-2 cells and 98.9% of the 181 cytotoxic isolates adhered to HEp-2 or Caco-2 cells. Gram-negative isolates tended to adhere in larger numbers than gram-positive isolates. The average index of adherence for Gram-negative bacteria was 20-30 bacteria per HEp-2 cell, compared to 3-7 for Gram-positive bacteria. HEp-2 cells were invaded by 43.6% and Caco-2 cells by 49.7% of the 181 cytotoxic isolates. The invasion index on HEp-2 cells was 1.9xlO-1 to 8.9xl0-6, compared to 7.7xl0-2 to 8.3xlO-6 on Caco-2 cells. The most commonly isolated genera showing potentially pathogenic features were: Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Aureobacterium, Bacillus, Chryseobacterium, Corynebacterium, Klebsiella, Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Tsukamurella and Vibrio. All these genera are known to contain opportunistic pathogens. Our results support earlier findings on potentially pathogenic features of bacteria detected by heterotrophic plate counts on drinking water. These findings seem to be in agreement with some epidemiological studies, which indicated an association between HPCs of drinking water and the incidence of gastroenteritis in consumers. However, the extent of the health risk concerned needs to be defined in detail for meaningful revision of quality guidelines for HPCs in drinking water. / Dissertation (MSc (Medical Virology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Medical Virology / unrestricted

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancy due to the insufficient accurate screening programs for the early detection of EOC. To improve the accuracy of the early detection, there is a need to deeply understand the mechanism of EOC progression and the interaction between cancer cells with their unique microenvironment. Therefore, this work investigated the metabolic shift in the mouse model for progressive ovarian cancer, and evaluated the effects of hypoxic environment, spheroid formation as well as stromal vascular fractions (SVF) on the metabolic shift, proliferation rate, drug resistance and protein markers in functional categories. The results demonstrated an increasingly glycolytic nature of MOSE cells as they progress from a tumorigenic (MOSE-L) to a highly aggressive phenotype (MOSE-FFL), and also showed changes in metabolism during ovarian cancer spheroid formation with SVF under different oxygen levels. More specifically, the hypoxic environment enhanced glycolytic shift by upregulating the glucose uptake and lactate secretion, and the spheroid formation affected the cellular metabolism by increasing the lactate secretion to acidify local environments, modulating the expression of cell adhesion molecules to enhance cell motility and spheroids disaggregation, and up-regulating invasiveness markers and stemness makers to promote ovarian cancer aggressive potential. Hypoxia and spheroid formation decreased ovarian cancer cells growth but increased the chemoresistance, which leads to the promotion of aggressiveness and metastasis potential of ovarian cancer. SVF co-cultured spheroids further increased the glycolytic shift of the heterogeneous of ovarian cancer spheroids, induced the aggressive phenotype by elevating the corresponding protein markers. Decreasing the glycolytic shift and suppression of the proteins/pathways may be used to inhibit aggressiveness or metastatic potential of ovarian cancer heterogeneous of ovarian cancer spheroids, induced the aggressive phenotype by elevating the corresponding protein markers. Decreasing the glycolytic shift and suppression of the proteins/pathways may be used to inhibit aggressiveness or metastatic potential of ovarian cancer. / Master of Science / Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancy due to the usually late detection when the cancer has already spread throughout the peritoneal cavity. Physical, cellular and chemical factors can contribute to EOC progression and metastasis. Critical physical factors are the low oxygen content in the peritoneal cavity (hypoxia) that promotes tumor cells survival, and the formation of tumor spheres, which have been demonstrated to have a more aggressive phenotype. Moreover, obesity has been proposed to support ovarian cancer development and progression. Therefore, this work investigated the impact of oxygen deprivation, sphere formation, and white adipose tissue-derived stromal cells on ovarian cancer cells progression. The results showed that all these factors contribute to the aggressive potential of ovarian cancer cells by increasing the drug resistance, and modulation of cellular metabolism. The understanding of the interactions between ovarian cancer and other cells within their unique microenvironment may provide critical targets for chemotherapeutic interventions that are aimed to control the aggressiveness of ovarian metastases in their hypoxic tumor microenvironment, and enhance the life of women afflicted with ovarian cancer.

Previous studies in our laboratory demonstrated the expression of WT1 in a significant number of glioma cells and established its role in promoting tumor cell proliferation. Here, we noted the effect(s) of manipulating WT1 levels on the expression levels of genes that were previously shown to be regulated by WT1. We found no correlation between the expression levels of WT1 and PDGF-A, Snai1 and E-cadherin and a consistent inverse correlation between WT1 and IGF-1R expression in U251-MG cells. To ascertain whether the increased IGF-1R levels resulting from WT1 silencing could account for decreased cellular proliferation, we utilized siRNA mediated knockdown of IGF-1R and found a modest decrease in cellular proliferation. Gene expression profiling in U251-MG cells was then used to identify candidate target genes for WT1. Several genes whose levels directly correlated with WT1 were observed to have putative or established oncogenic role(s) in glioma cells or other malignancies. Among the genes correlated inversely, meanwhile, a tumor-suppressor role was attributed to some. Real time RT-PCR helped to substantiate these microarray findings in U251-MG cells. We also characterized the expression and function of WT1 in U1242-MG and GBM6 cells. Interestingly, in these cells WT1 facilitated cell invasiveness but had no discernible influence on cellular proliferation. The expressions of the candidate WT1 target genes were studied also determined in these 2 cell lines. At least 3 genes were consistently down-regulated with WT1 silencing in the three cell lines- INPP5A, CD97, and TYMS. To determine whether CD97 assisted WT1 in facilitating cellular invasion, we silenced CD97 expression using siRNA and noted a significant decrease in the cells’ ability to invade through Matrigel-coated filters. We propose that WT1 profoundly impacts the glioma cells’ invasive ability, and this function is mediated by CD97 alone or in conjunction with other pro-invasive molecules. Our findings argue for the oncogenic role of WT1 in the specific context of glioma cells. They also point to a novel pro-invasive protein- CD97- in glioma cells. Further studies are necessary to confirm the mechanism by which CD97 promotes invasion as well as to explore its potential as a diagnostic and/or therapeutic target.