Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein expression in the normal human brain and intracranial tumors

Brain Res. 2003 Jul 18;978(1-2):245-9. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(03)02840-3.

Abstract

In this study we found the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) mRNA and protein in both the normal human brain and intracranial tumors, using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. StAR mRNA is expressed at a very low level in the white matter of the normal human brain, but in tumoral tissues StAR mRNA was specifically expressed in oligodendrogliomas and malignant glial tumors. StAR-positive cells were also detected in the normal human brains and gliomas; its frequency and density were higher in glioma tissue. These findings suggest that StAR expression might be correlated with the growth of glial tumors.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / metabolism
  • Glioma / classification
  • Glioma / genetics
  • Glioma / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods

Substances

  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Phosphoproteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • steroidogenic acute regulatory protein