Open AccessFas Ligand Expression in Glioblastoma Cell Lines and Primary Astrocytic Brain Tumors
Author(s) -
Gratas Catherine,
Tohma Yasuo,
Meir Erwin G. Van,
Klein Michael,
Tenan Mirna,
Ishii Nobuaki,
Tachibana Osamu,
Kleihues Paul,
Ohgaki Hiroko
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
brain pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.986
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1750-3639
pISSN - 1015-6305
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-3639.1997.tb00889.x
Subject(s) - glioblastoma , primary (astronomy) , cancer research , ligand (biochemistry) , pathology , medicine , cell culture , biology , receptor , genetics , physics , astronomy
Fas/APO‐1 (CD95) is a cell surface receptor that mediates apoptosis when it reacts with Fas ligand (FasL) or Fas antibody. We previously reported that Fas expression is predominantly induced in perinecrotic glioma cells, suggesting that Fas induction is associated with apoptosis and necrosis formation, a histological hallmark of glioblastomas. In this study, we assessed the expression of FasL in 10 glioblastoma cell lines and in 14 astrocytic brain tumors (three low‐grade astrocytomas and 11 glioblastomas). Reverse transcriptase (RT)‐PCR revealed that all glioblastoma cell lines and primary astrocytic brain tumors express FasL. Immunohistochemically, FasL was predominantly expressed on the plasma membrane of glioma cells. These results suggest that FasL expression is common in human astrocytic brain tumors and may cause apoptosis of glioma cells if Fas expression is induced.