Expression and Mutational Status of PDGFR in Thymic Tumours

• Published in: Anticancer research Vol. 29; no. 10; pp. 4057 - 4061
• Main Authors: MEISTER, Michael, KAHL, Philip, RIEKER, Ralf J, MULEY, Thomas, MORRESI-HAUF, Alicia, SEBENING, Christian, KERN, Michael A, BREINIG, Marco, SCHNABEL, Philipp, DIENEMANN, Hendrik, SCHIRMACHER, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Attiki International Institute of Anticancer Research 01.10.2009
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; DNA Mutational Analysis; Exons; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Infant; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Pneumology; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha - biosynthesis; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha - genetics; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta - biosynthesis; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta - genetics; Thymus Neoplasms - enzymology; Thymus Neoplasms - genetics; Thymus Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum; thymic carcinoma; Thymus gland; Thymoma; Platelet derived growth factor receptor; Mediastinum disease; Thymus carcinoma; Malignant tumor; Thymus pathology; Cancerology; mutations; PDGFR; Genetics; Thymic epithelial tumor; Benign neoplasm; Mutation; Cancer
• ISSN: 0250-7005; 1791-7530

Background: There is an ongoing search for new therapeutic targets in invasive non-resectable thymic tumours because of the low response rates in current chemotherapeutic treatment modalities. In this study, the possibility that platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFRA) and/ or PDGFRB may represent potential therapeutic targets in epithelial tumours of the thymus was investigated. Patients and Methods: Tissue samples were obtained by thymectomy from 36 different patients with epithelial tumours of the thymus (26 thymomas types A, AB, B1-3 and 10 thymic carcinomas). Normal thymi from three young children were used as controls. The PDGFRA and PDGFRB protein expressions as well as the mutational statuses of exons 12, 14 and 18 of the PDGFRA gene were analyzed. Results: All the subtypes of thymomas and the thymic carcinomas showed staining for PDGFRA, but no mutations in the known mutational hotspots were identified. Only about one third of the tumours stained for PDGFRB. PDGFRA and PDGFRB protein staining were slightly positively correlated. Conclusion: PDGFRA may represent a potential therapeutic target in thymic tumours.