Open AccessExpression and Prognostic Value of Oct-4 in Astrocytic Brain Tumors
Author(s) -
Jeanette Krogh Petersen,
Per Bruno Jensen,
Mads D. Sørensen,
Bjarne Winther Kristensen
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0169129
Subject(s) - pathology , malignancy , stem cell marker , brain tumor , nestin , anaplastic astrocytoma , immunohistochemistry , medicine , glioma , astrocytoma , proliferation marker , survival analysis , biology , stem cell , cancer research , neural stem cell , genetics
Background Glioblastomas are the most frequent type of malignant primary brain tumor with a median overall survival less than 15 months. Therapy resistance of glioblastomas has been attributed to the presence of tumor initiating stem-like cells (TSCs). TSC-related markers have therefore been suggested to have promising potentials as prognostic markers in gliomas. Methodology/Principal Findings The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and prognostic impact of the TSC-related marker Oct-4 in astrocytic brain tumors of increasing grade. In total 114 grade II, III and IV astrocytic brain tumors were immunohistochemically stained for Oct-4, and the fraction and intensity of Oct-4 positive cells were determined by morphometric analysis of full tumor sections. Oct-4 was expressed in all tumors, and the Oct-4 positive cell fraction increased with tumor grade (p = 0.045). There was no association between survival and Oct-4 positive cell fraction, neither when combining all tumor grades nor in analysis of individual grades. Oct-4 intensity was not associated with grade, but taking IDH1 status into account we found a tendency for high Oct-4 intensity to be associated with poor prognosis in anaplastic astrocytomas. Double immunofluorescence stainings showed co-localization in the perivascular niches of Oct-4 and two other TSC markers CD133 and nestin in glioblastomas. In some areas Oct-4 was expressed independently of CD133 and nestin. Conclusions In conclusion, high Oct-4 fraction was associated with tumor malignancy, but seemed to be without independent prognostic influence in glioblastomas. Identification of a potential prognostic value in anaplastic astrocytomas requires additional studies using larger patient cohorts.