To analyze the expressions of ubiquitin-like con-taining PHD ring finger 1 (UHRF1), β-transducin repeat-containing protein 1 (β-TrCP1) and herpes associated ubiquitin specific proteas (HAUSP) in glioma tissue and their correlation with clinicopathological features.

A total of 84 cases of paraffin-embedded glioma tissue surgically resected were collected from Department of Pathology, Tangshan People’s Hospital from June 2011 to May 2015. The expressions of UHRF1, β-TrCP1 and HAUSP in WHO grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ glioma tissue were detected by immunohistochemical staining, and the correlation of the protein expressions with the clinicopathological features was analyzed. The relationship was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation between UHRF1 and β-TrCP1, as well as HAUSP.

HAUSP, β-TrCP1 and UHRF1 were all expressed in grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ glioma tissue. The positive expression rates of these proteins were all associated with the glioma classification. The positive expression rates of UHRF1 and HAUSP increased with the grade of glioma (P=0.005, P=0.002, respectively). The positive expression rates of β-TrCP1 decreased with the grade of glioma (P=0.003). In addition, UHRF1 expressions in grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ glioma were all negatively associated with β-TrCP1 (gradeⅠ: r=-0.903, P=0.000; grade Ⅱ: r=-0.930, P=0.000; grade Ⅲ: r=-0.895, P=0.000; grade Ⅳ: r=-0.920, P=0.000), and they were all positively associated with HAUSP (grade Ⅰ: r=0.931, P=0.000; grade Ⅱ: r=0.866, P=0.000; grade Ⅲ: r=0.803, P=0.000; grade Ⅳ: r=0.904, P=0.000).

These data suggest that ubiquitination enzyme β-TrCP1 could play an anti-cancer role in glioma by negatively regulating the stability of UHRF1 protein, while de-ubiquitination enzyme HAUSP could perform a tumor-promoting function by positively regulating the stability of UHRF1 protein. This provides a basis and new idea for further elucidate the epigenetic mechanism of gliomagenesis and development.