The Role of Sialic Acid in Chemotherapy Resistance and GFAP Expression in Glioma Cells
The Role of Sialic Acid in Chemotherapy Resistance and GFAP Expression in Glioma Cells
Farideh Rezaei,1Mohammad Shafiei,2,*Hamid Galehdari,3Alireza Malayeri,4Seyed Mehdi Kalantar,5
1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran 2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran 3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran 4. Medical Plant Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran 5. Research & Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi Medical Sciences University, Yazd, Iran
Introduction: Glioma, a primary central nervous system tumor, is treated through methods like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, but chemotherapy resistance often results in treatment failure and cancer recurrence. Understanding the tumor microenvironment (TME) is critical for addressing drug resistance. Alterations in glycosylation, especially sialylation, help cancer cells evade treatment. Additionally, changes in GFAP expression, a key astrocytoma marker, are linked to chemoresistance. GFAP is expressed in both normal brain tissue and tumors like astrocytoma, and its elevated levels are associated with poor prognosis and resistance to therapy after surgery.
Methods: This study aims to explore the relationship between sialic acid exposure and changes in GFAP gene expression to enhance our understanding of drug resistance mechanisms in glioma. The 1321N1 cell line was cultured under standard conditions and treated with 500 and 300 µM sialic acid for 48 and 72 hours, respectively. GFAP gene expression was then evaluated using real-time PCR analysis.
Results: The analysis revealed a significant increase in GFAP expression in cells treated with sialic acid compared to control cells. Elevated GFAP levels, which are associated with astrocytoma, may contribute to uncontrolled cancer cell proliferation and drug resistance.
Conclusion: Sialic acid, crucial for cancer growth, promotes cellular expansion and drug resistance by enhancing GFAP expression. Targeting sialic acid content, possibly through vaccine development, holds promise for improving glioma treatment. This study provides important insights into the theoretical and experimental mechanisms of sialic acid in glioma cells, offering potential therapeutic targets for glioma management.