expression of the tight junction protein, occludin, in patients with primary brain tumors

초록

cerebral edema develops in the brain tumors by loosening of the endothelial tight junction. Authors examined the expression rate of endothelial tight junction protein, occludin in human brain tumors to evaluate the effect of altered expression of occludin on cerebral edema. Seventy surgical specimens of occludin expression was investigated by Western blot analysis. The tumors were classified according to WHO classification. The expression rate in glioma and meningioma was lower than other brain tumors. In gliomas, high grade tumor exhibited lower expression rate of occludin than low grade one. These results suggest that the expression of occludin is different among the various kinds of brain tumors.