Expression of monocarboxylate transporter MCTI in normal and neoplastic human CNS tissues

Expression of monocarboxylate transporter MCTI was studied in archival tissues from human CNS using antibodies to the carboxyl-terminal end of MCTI. Sections of neocortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of brains from 10 adult autopsy patients who died from other than CNS disease, and from archival surgical biopsy specimens of 83 primary CNS and eight non-CNS tumors were studied. MCTI immunoreactivity was present in microvessels and, ependymocytes of normal CNS tissues similar to that reported for MCTI expression in rat brains. MCTI immunoreactivity was strongest in ependymomas, hemangioblastomas and high grade glial neoplasms, and weakest in low grade gliomas. Increased MCTI expression in high grade glial neoplasms may provide a potential therapeutic target for treatment of some CNS neoplasms. NeuroReport 12:761-765 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.