Wilms tumor 1 expression in malignant gliomas and correlation of +KTS isoforms with p53 status.

Object The WT1 gene is overexpressed in many types of human cancer. It has been demonstrated that Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) promotes tumor cell proliferation and survival in some cell lines by inhibiting p53-mediated apoptosis; however, this relationship has not been investigated in gliomas. The goal in this study was to characterize the expression pattern of WT1 in human gliomas and to determine if a correlation exists between WT1 expression and p53 status. Methods The authors screened nine malignant glioma cell lines, 50 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) samples, and 16 lower-grade glial tumors for WT1 expression. Results Five of nine cell lines, 44 of 50 GBM samples, and 13 of 16 lower-grade gliomas expressed WT1 mRNA on reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Expression of WT1 was not detected in normal astrocytes. Two WT1 isoforms, +/+ and −/+, were expressed in the majority of these samples. Real-time PCR analysis of the GBM cell lines revealed that the level of WT1 mRNA ranged from 6....