Expression of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Transcripts in Medulloblastomas and Ependymomas

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Abstract
We used Northern blot analysis to measure the expression of mRNA for platelet-derived growth factor subunit A (PDGF-A), PDGF-B and the PDGF-α receptor (PDGFR-α) and PDGF-β receptor (PDGFR-β) in ependymomas and medulloblastomas. We analyzed tissue from 5 patients for each tumor type, looking specifically for components of an autocrine or paracrine system in these tumors. PDGF-A was expressed in all tumors, PDGFR-α, which binds all 3 PDGF isoforms, was only found in ependymomas. Thus only ependymomas appeared to have a potential for using PDGFR-α autocrine loops. PDGF-B was expressed only in ependymomas, although the PDGFR-β was expressed in both medulloblastomas and ependymomas. Again, therefore, only ependymomas appear to have a potential autocrine loop with PDGFR-β. These data suggest that ependymomas have the biochemical prerequisites for autocrine and/or paracrine loops using PDGFR-α or PDGFR-β systems. In this they resemble other glial tumors such as anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas. Medulloblastomas do not appear to have the ligand and/or receptor for either the PDGFR-α or PDGFR-β autocrine loop.

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