Upregulation of beta-amyloid precursor protein expression in glioblastoma multiforme

Glioma and glioblastoma multiforme constitute rapidly proliferating glial cell tumors whose pathogenic mechanisms are not well understood. This study examined proinflammatory and neurodegenerative gene expression in five American Tissue Culture Collection glioma and glioblastoma multiforme tumor cell lines and in 14 glioma and glioblastoma samples obtained from human brain biopsy. Expression of the low-abundance cyclooxygenase-1 and the high-abundance cytoskeletal element beta-actin were found not to significantly change in any cells or tissues studied and were used as internal controls. In contrast, proinflammatory cyclooxygenase-2, cytosolic phospholipase A2, IL-1beta, and beta-amyloid precursor protein expression levels were found to be significantly upregulated. These studies suggest that glioma and glioblastoma exhibit robust upregulation of proinflammatory and neurodegenerative genetic markers that may contribute to the pathobiology, phenotype, and proliferation of glial cell growth.