Purpose: The purpose of our study was to investigate the mRNA expression profile of glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) in different types and grades of brain tumors, such as glioblastoma multiforme, astrocytomas (pilocytic, diffuse, anaplastic), oligodendrogliomas, ependydomas, medulloblastomas, and meningiomas using Real Time Quantitative PCR technique (qRT-PCR).
Methods: A total of 66 surgically removed primary brain tumors were collected retrospectively and the total RNA was isolated from each tumor sample. cDNA was generated and GLT-1 mRNA expression was evaluated with quantitative qRT-PCR.
Results: The mRNA expression of GLT-1 was significantly lower in primary brain tumors when compared to control brain tissues. GLT-1 expression was inversely correlated with the tumor grade, implicating its potential role in tumor progression. GLT-1 mRNA expression was lowest in grade 4 tumors, such as glioblastoma multiforme and medulloblastomas. The tumors with grade 3 and 4 combined displayed lower expression compared to tumors with grades 1 and 2. In grade 4 tumors, female patients displayed lower GLT-1 expression compared to male patients. In addition, glioblastoma multiforme patients older than 65 years of age showed lower GLT-1 expression when compared to the patients younger than 65.
Conclusion: qRT-PCR was found to be a sensitive method in detecting GLT-1 expression in brain tumors. This study may lay the foundation for the future research about the excitotoxicity and brain tumors and GLT-1 might be a potential biomarker. Targeted therapies based on excitotoxic molecular pathways against gliomas should be designed to effectively combat these diseases.