Expression Patterns Of Integrin Family In The Brain Astrocytoma

Objective:To explore expression patterns of integrinαv,α6,β1,β2,β3 subunit in the human brain astrocytoma and the expression change of integrinαv subunit under glioma cells and endothelial cells interaction.Methods:To examine the expression of integrinαv,α6,β1,β2,β3 subunit in 42 cases of human brain astrocytoma specimens by immunohistochemistry;To co-culture C6 glioma cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells with Transwell co-culture system in vitro and then detect the integrinαv mRNA transcription of C6 glioma cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured seperately and co-cultrued by semi-quantitative RT-PCR;To examine the expression of integrinαv of C6 glioma and human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured seperately and co-cultrued by immunocytochemistry.Results:In the human brain astrocytoma specimens,integrin subunit positive staining was localized mainly in the gliomas and some in blood vessel endothelial cells.①The positive immunohistochemistry staining level of the integrinαv significantly increased according to the histological grade and there showed the significant difference in expression between the low-level and the high-level group(P<0.05);②The expression level of integrinα6 subunit significantly decreased with the histological grade of glioma increased and there showed the significant difference of expression between the low-level and the high-level group(P<0.05);③The expression level of integrinβ1 subunit significantly decreased with the histological grade of glioma increased and there showed the significant difference of expression between the low-level and the high-level group(P<0.05);④There existed no difference of the integrinβ2,β3 subunit expression related to the astrocytoma histologic grading(P>0.05);⑤By Speraman correlation analysis, there confirmed the synergies among integrinαv,α6,β1,β2,β3 subunit;⑥After C6 glioma cells co-cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells,the mRNA transcription and the immunocytochemistry staining intensity of integrinαv subuint upregulated(P<0.01;P﹤0.05).Conclusion:①The expression of integrinαv,β1 andα6 subunit in the brain related to the malignant behavior control in astrocytoma,while the expression situation ofβ2 andβ3 subunit had nothing to do with the pathologic rank and therefore can't be regarded as the malignant behavior index;②There existed a certain synergies among integrinαv,α6,β1,β2,β3 subunit;③The interaction of glioma cells and endothelial cells can induce the upregulation of integrinαv subunit.