Biopolymers and cell. 2008; 24 (4): 310 - 317

Investigation of expression of different subunits of eukaryotic translation elongation factor eEF1 in human glial brain tumors

M. V. Veremieva, K. O. Shostak, T. A. Malysheva, Y. P. Zozulya, V. D. Rozumenko, V. M. Kavsan, B. S. Negrutskii

Eukaryotic elongation factor 1 (eEF1) mediates the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the ribosome in GTP-dependent manner. eEF1 consists of four subunits: eEF1A, eEF1Bα, eEF1Bβ and eEF1Bγ. eEF1A has two different isoforms: eEF1A1 is present throughout development and is ubiquitously expressed with the exception of adult muscle, while eEF1A2 is developmentally regulated and expressed only in muscle cells and neurons. Expression of eEF1A1, eEF1A2, eEF1Bα, eEF1Bβ and eEF1Bγ genes was analyzed by Northern blot hybridization of a panel of brain tumor and normal brain tissue RNAs. Totally 23 glioblastoma and 10 normal brain samples were investigated. In gliomas, no meaningful difference in the mRNA content for the eEF1A1, eEF1Bα and eEF1Bγ subunits as compared to normal brain tissues was found. However, we have observed approximately 2-fold decrease in the eEF1Bβ mRNA expression in human gliomas as compared to normal human brain by Northern blot analysis. Besides, we have shown reduced level of the eEF1A2 mRNA expression in glioblastoma as compared to normal human glia.

Keywords: eEF1, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1, overexpression of genes, human glial brain tumors.