Transglutaminase activity in human brain tumors.

Abstract

Transglutaminase (TG) activity was measured in tissue samples of 45 human brain tumors (pituitary adenomas, meningiomas and gliomas) obtained during neurosurgery. Biochemical analysis and histopathological classification were carried out in the same samples. Mean enzyme activity was highest in non-glial tumors, but due to a high variability of values no significant changes were found between the various histological groups. Thus, TG activity, although considered to play a role in neoplastic growth, does not represent a biochemical marker of malignancy in human brain tumors.