Neuro Flashcards
1
Q
How do we assess glioblastomas for sensitivity to temozolomide therapy?
A
O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) repairs DNA damaged by alkylating agents. In gliomas that have silenced their MGMT gene, the MGMT repair protein is not expressed.
The loss of expression may be detected directly by immunohistochemistry. Alternatively, silencing may be detected by bisulfite treatment of the genomic DNA followed by various detection strategies.
Loss of MGMT expression in gliomas results in accumulation of DNA damage by alkylating agents such as temozolomide, and therefore increased sensitivity to the drug.
