title: Aberrant p53 expression in astrocytic neoplasms of the brain: association with proliferation.
abstract: Aberrant expression of the p53 suppressor gene was evaluated in 102 cases of astrocytic neoplasms. Immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody (DO-7) and a polyclonal antibody (CM-1) to p53 protein (both wild type and mutant) on formalin-fixed paraffin sections showed a strong correlation with malignancy grade. The staining was positive in 49% of malignant neoplasms (grades III and IV) and in 19 to 29% of grade II astrocytomas, whereas none of the grade I tumors were positive. p53 expression was significantly associated with proliferation rate determined by immunohistochemical proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-staining (median PCNA-labeling index (%): 4.22 (DO-7-positive) versus 1.18 (DO-7-negative), P < 0.0001; 4.02 (CM-1-positive) versus 1.18 (CM-1-negative), P < 0.001). Interestingly, in the glioblastoma group (n = 44), p53-positive tumors had higher proliferation indices, suggesting that histologically similar tumors could be divided into prognostically different subgroups by immunohistochemical demonstration of aberrant p53 expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haapasalo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Isola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sallinen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kalimo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Helin
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rantala
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53