Abstract
The aim of the present study was to examine the role of the expression of transient axonal glycoprotein-1 (TAG1)/precursor protein (APP) signaling pathway in the proliferation and differentiation of glioma stem cells. A glioma cell line (U373) was used as well as fluorescence quantitative PCR, western blot analysis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to examine the role of the expression of TAG1/APP signaling pathway in the proliferation and differentiation of glioma stem cells after five generations of in vitro culture. The results showed that compared to the normal glioma cells, the expression of TAG1 and APP was significantly increased in the proliferation of glioma stem cells. The results of ELISA and western blot analysis also confirmed a significant elevation in the protein expression of TAG1 in glioma stem cells compared to normal human glioma cells. When glioma stem cells were cultured in differentiation medium, as revealed by RT-PCR, the expression of TAG1 and APP in glioma stem cells initially increased and then decreased. In addition, the protein expression of TAG1 and APP was consistent with the RT-PCR results. Compared with undifferentiated glioma stem cells, the expression of TAG1 and APP decreased gradually with the extension of differentiation time. In conclusion, the expression of TAG1/APP signaling pathway in glioma cells was abnormal. Thus, this pathway is involved in the proliferation and differentiation of glioma cells and promotes the proliferation of glioma cells to inhibit the differentiation of glioma cells.