EXPRESSION OF THE TUMOR-SUPPRESSOR GENE DCC IN HUMAN GLIOMAS

Reduced expression and/or allelic loss of the putative tumor suppresso r gene DCC has been demonstrated in colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, e sophageal, breast, and hematological malignancies. We examined the exp ression of the DCC gene in 22 tissue samples from human gliomas (gliob lastoma multiforme, oligodendroglioma, and mixed oligodendroglioma/ast rocytoma). Seven of 8 glioblastomas multiforme (88%) had reduced or ab sent DCC expression, and 8 of the other 14 tumors underexpressed DCC w hen compared to normal brain tissue. These results demonstrate that re duced expression of DCC occurs in human malignant gliomas and may be p art of a common genetic pathway leading to neoplastic transformation a nd/or tumor progression.