Loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 10 is more extensive in primary (de novo) than in secondary glioblastomas.

Glioblastomas develop de novo (primary glioblastomas) or through progression from low-grade or anaplastic astrocytoma (secondary glioblastomas). There is increasing evidence that these glioblastoma subtypes develop through different genetic pathways. Primary glioblastomas are characterized by EGFR and MDM2 amplification/overexpression, PTEN mutations, and p16 deletions, whereas secondary glioblastomas frequently contain p53 mutations. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 10 (LOH#10) is the most frequent genetic alteration in glioblastomas; the involvement of tumor suppressor genes, other than PTEN, has been suggested. We carried out deletion mappings on chromosome 10, using PCR-based microsatellite analysis. LOH#10 was detected at similar frequencies in primary (8/17; 47%) and secondary glioblastomas (7/13; 54%). The majority (88%) of primary glioblastomas with LOH#10 showed LOH at all informative markers, suggesting loss of the entire chromosome 10. In contrast, secondary glioblastomas with LOH#10 showed partial or complete loss of chromosome 10q but no loss of 10p. These results are in accordance with the view that LOH on 10q is a major factor in the evolution of glioblastoma multiform as the common phenotypic end point of both genetic pathways, whereas LOH on 10p is largely restricted to the primary (de novo) glioblastoma.