Sialic Acid Modulation of HMGA1 and HMGA2 Gene Expression in Human Astrocytoma Cells

Aim: To correlate the biological effect of sialic acid on the expression of high mobility genes in the human astrocytoma cell line with regard to its therapeutic potential. Methodology: After the treatment of 1321N1 cells (human astrocytoma cells) with Sialic acid in different doses, qRT-PCR for gene expression quantification of two HMGA1 and HMGA2 genes was done. Results: The HMGA1 gene showed lowest expression in the absence of sialic acid, while its activity increased significantly in the presence of sialic acid, depending on the sialic acid concentration: the highest expression was reached at 200 µM sialic acid (eighteen fold), which gradually decreased to eightfold at a concentration of 800 µM. The HMGA2 gene behaved in the opposite way: highest expression in the absence and a gradual decrease in the presence of sialic acid. Conclusion: We observed a concentration-dependent modulatory effects of sialic acid on the expression of the two HMGA gene family in the human astrocytoma cell line. These results could be important with regard to the therapeutic potential of sialic acid at least on this type of cells.