IDH1 and IDH2 mutations in different histologic subtypes and WHO grading gliomas in a sample from Northern Brazil

Glioma is a term used to describe tumors derived from glial cells. These tumors are divided into subgroups based on the histological morphology and similarity of their differentiated glia cells. Traditionally, they are classified according to the World Health Organization and include astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, and oligoastrocytomas. Like most cancers, gliomas develop as a result of genetic changes that accumulate with tumor progression. Alterations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and IDH2 were found to be relevant in the classification and prognostic of gliomas. Because of the importance of mutations in these genes, particularly in IDH1, in different proposals of the genesis and progression of gliomas, we analyzed the occurrence of mutations in these genes in samples obtained from patients from Belém (PA, Brazil) using polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism followed by sequencing. We compared the results obtained from tumors of different malignancy grades, evaluating the significance of the associations between different variables. R132H was the only mutation found in 17.6% (6/34) of cases, including in astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, oligodendroglioma, and anaplastic oligoastrocytoma. No mutations were found in the IDH2 gene. We found no significant relationship between the identified mutations in IDH1 and the variables. Our data could not confirm that mutations in IDH1/IDH2 are indicative of malignancy and prognosis. However, the results support that the mutation in IDH1 gene was an early event in the development of gliomas, as it was found in tumors of different malignancy grades.