Expression of the Golgi phosphoprotein-3 gene in human gliomas: a pilot study

The oncogene Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) has been found in several solid cancers, but its expression in glioma tumor tissues is unknown. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot was used to investigate expression of GOLPH3 mRNA and protein, respectively, in 76 patients with glioma. Non-cancerous brain issues and lung cancer cells were used as controls. There were 45 males and 31 females (mean age 50.7 ± 12.8 years). Astrocytoma was found in 65 patients and glioblastoma in 11. No GOLPH3 expression was found in the non-cancerous brain tissues, but positive GOLPH3 protein was found in lung cancer cells. GOLPH3 mRNA and protein expression were identified in 40 patients with glioma (52.6%). Positive expression of GOLPH3 mRNA or protein was similar in patients with astrocytoma grades I-III and glioblastoma (P > 0.05). The highest mean value of GOLPH3 mRNA and protein was found in patients with glioblastoma (P < 0.01) whereas the lowest mean values were found in those with grade I astrocytoma (P < 0.01). We concluded that, in this pilot study, GOLPH3 expression was present in more than half of the patients with glioma. The amount of GOLPH3 expression in the glioma was associated with the severity of the tumor. Whether positive GOLPH3 gene expression can be used as a predictor for prognosis of the patients or as a therapeutic target for glioma requires further investigation.