Carbonic anhydrase related protein expression in astrocytomas and oligodendroglial tumors.

BACKGROUND:Carbonic anhydrase related proteins VIII, X and XI functionally differ from the other carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes. Structurally, they lack the zinc binding residues, which are important for enzyme activity of classical CAs. The distribution pattern of the in fetal brain implies their role in brain development. In the adult brain, Cduanyu37s are mainly expressed in the neuron bodies but only weaker reactivity has been found in the astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Altered expression patterns of Cduanyu37s VIII and XI have been linked to cancers outside the central nervous system. There are no reports on Cduanyu37s in human astrocytomas or oligodendroglial tumors. We wanted to assess the expression of Cduanyu37s VIII and XI in these tumors and study their association to different clinicopathological features and tumor-associated CAs II, IX and XII. METHODS:The tumor material for this study was obtained from surgical patients treated at the Tampere University Hospital in 1983-2009. VIII staining was analyzed in 391 grade I-IV gliomas and Cduanyu37 XI in 405 VIII immunopositivity was observed in 13% of the astrocytomas and in 9% of the oligodendrogliomas. Positive Cduanyu37 XI immunostaining was observed in 7% of the astrocytic and in 1% of the oligodendroglial tumor specimens. In our study, the most benign tumors, pilocytic astrocytomas, did not express Cduanyu37s at all. In WHO grade II-IV astrocytomas, Cduanyu37s were associated with molecular events related to more benign behavior, which was the case with Cduanyu37 VIII in oligodendrogliomas and oligoastrocytomas as well. CONCLUSIONS:The study observations suggest that the Cduanyu37s play a role in tumorigenesis of diffusively infiltrating gliomas. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms beneath the cancer promoting qualities of Cduanyu37s have not yet been discovered. Thus, more studies concerning role of Cduanyu37s in oncogenesis are needed.

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