Identification of Tumor Progression-Related Genes in Astrocytoma Cell Lines

OBJECTIVE To identify progression-related genes that lead toastrocytoma progression from a low to a high grade by analyzingthe gene expression profiles from different tumor grades,and all-trans retinoic acid-treated astrocytoma cell lines.METHODS In this study,all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) wasused to induce differentiation of SHG-44 cells.Then,by usinga cDNA microarray,we compared gene expression profilingin different grades of astrocytoma cell lines (CHG-5,WHOGrade Ⅱ and SHG-44,WHO Grade Ⅳ) and in ATRA-induceddifferentiation in SHG-44 cells.A panel of overlapped genes thatmight be related to tumor progression was identified,and the cellline individual variation was avoided as well.RESULTS In the 31 overlapped genes,the stable over-expressionof MDM2 and UGB as well as the repression of SOD2,G3BP,andCSTB in parental SHG-44 cells was observed and their possibleroles in tumor progression were discussed.Moreover,validationof some differentially expressed genes was confirmed by Northernblots.CONCLUSION The overlapped genes reported in this studymight relate to progression of astrocytoma.Further study ofprogression-related genes may be helpful to explore the geneticpathways that are involved in astrocytoma progress from a low toa high grade.