INCREASED EXPRESSION OF GELATINASE-A AND TIMP-2 IN PRIMARY HUMAN GLIOBLASTOMAS

The highly invasive growth of glioblastomas may be a consequence of an abnormal profile of proteinases and proteinase inhibitors involved in remodeling of the basement membrane and normal vasculature. We have d etected a 1.5-3-fold increase in the transcription of gelatinase A and TIMP-2 (Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase) in glioblastomas as co mpared to the normal brain tissue. Increased expression of gelatinase A and TIMP-2 in these tumors was also evident by immunohistochemical a nalysis. Our data suggest that increased expression and perturbation o f the balance between metalloproteinases and their inhibitors that are involved in extracellular matrix remodeling and angiogenesis may cont ribute to the invasive phenotype of glioblastomas.