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Identification of thymosins β4 and β10 in paediatric craniopharyngioma cystic fluid

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Abstract

Background

Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma is the third most recurrent paediatric brain tumour. Although histologically benign, it behaves aggressively as a malignant tumour due to invasion of the hypothalamus and visual pathways. Surgery is still the first and almost the only mode of treatment, although serious damage can occur as a consequence of tumour localization. The proteomic characterization of the intracystic tumoural fluid could contribute to the comprehension of the tumorigenesis processes and to the development of therapeutic targets to reduce cyst volume, allowing less invasive surgery and/or delay of the radical resection of the tumour mass and the collateral serious effects.

Methods

Intracystic fluid was analysed by a LC-ESI-IT-MS top-down platform after acidification, deproteinization and chloroform liquid/liquid extraction.

Findings

Thymosin β4 and β10 peptides were for the first time identified in the intracystic fluid of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma by low- and high-resolution MS analysis coupled with LC. The two peptides showed the same distribution trend in the analysed samples. Thymosin β4 and β10 were present in 77 % of the analysed samples. These peptides were not found in the cerebrospinal fluid available for two patients.

Interpretation

The presence of β-thymosins in the intracystic fluid of the tumour confirmed the secretion of these proteins in the extracellular environment. Due to their G-actin-sequestering activity and antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties, these peptides could be strictly involved in both tumour progression and cyst development and growth.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from Fondazione Roma—Terzo Settore.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, Rome, Italy

    Claudia Desiderio & Massimo Castagnola

  2. Istituto di Biochimica e Biochimica Clinica, Facoltà di Medicina, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy

    Claudia Martelli, Diana Valeria Rossetti, Luca D’Angelo, Federica Iavarone & Massimo Castagnola

  3. Unità Complessa di Neurochirurgia Infantile, Istituto di Neurochirurgia—Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy

    Concezio Di Rocco, Luca D’Angelo, Massimo Caldarelli & Gianpiero Tamburrini

  4. Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell‘Ambiente, Università di Cagliari, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy

    Irene Messana & Tiziana Cabras

  5. Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Gavino Faa

  6. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, c/o Istituto di Biochimica e Biochimica Clinica, dell‘Universita’ Cattolica, Roma, Italia

    Claudia Desiderio

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  1. Claudia Desiderio
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Correspondence to Claudia Desiderio.

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Desiderio, C., Martelli, C., Rossetti, D.V. et al. Identification of thymosins β4 and β10 in paediatric craniopharyngioma cystic fluid. Childs Nerv Syst 29, 951–960 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2069-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2069-9

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