Artikel
Microarray analysis - A tool for genetic case reports?
Microarray-Analysen als Methode zur Charakterisierung spezieller genetischer Fälle?
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Autoren
Veröffentlicht: | 23. April 2004 |
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Gliederung
Text
Objective
One goal for gene expression profiling of cancer tissues is to identify signature genes that robustly distinguish different types or grades of tumours. Large studies to achieve statistical significant results have to be initiated to compare multiple tumours with each other. Microarrays need a binary question to analyse these thousands of genes. Survival outcome is one frequently used question used to analyse micro arrays of cancer tissue. Such a binary question is to analyse tumour tissue of the same patient of two different surgeries, ideally with different histologies or after treatment.
Methods
We compared the transcriptional profile of approximately 9,200 genes of tumour tissue of an anaplastic astrocytoma (WHO grade III) with its recurrence in the same patient after 10 months. This time it was diagnosed as a glioblastoma (WHO grade IV). We also compared a second patient’s tissue of two surgeries, in which a glioblastoma was diagnosed. Postoperatively, the tumour was treated by radiation and chemotherapy. A glioblastoma recurrence was reoperated after 8 months and both tissue samples were compared with array profiling.
Results
Multiple gene alterations have been found in the comparison of the two glioblastomas and the progression of the malignant glioma (IL-13 RA2 up regulated). Oncogenic targets like TrkB and Mapk 4 are differently regulated in the glioblastomas.
Conclusions
If tumour tissues of two different stages of the same patient are available, comparison by microarray analysis gives a new profiling opportunity. Although, the results lack a statistical relevance for general tumour profiles, individual changes can be identified. Larger studies within these direct comparisons of tissues of the same patient could help to understand response rates of treated tumours and characterization of malignant progression.