[Endothelin-1 expression and quantitative analysis in astrocytomas].
OBJECTIVE
It is demonstrated that endothelin-1 (ET-1) is synthesized by and released from certain malignant tumor cells, and it plays an important role in growth and development of tumor. This study was designed to investigate the expression of ET-1 in astrocytomas and the relationship between the ET-1 quantity and the grades of astrocytomas.


METHODS
ET-1 expression was determined in 70 astrocytoma specimens using Streptavidin-Peroxidase method and image analysis technology.


RESULTS
The ET-1 expressed in all of astrocytomas, and the ET-1 expression was mainly located in the cytoplasm. The positive rates of ET-1 in grade IV and III astrocytomas (86.67% and 93.33%) were significantly higher than that in grade II, I and normal astrocytes(75.00%, 66.67%, and 37.50%) (P < 0.05). The results of image analysis on astrocytoma (grade IV, III, II, I and normal control: 0.1875 +/- 0.0227, 0.1516 +/- 0.0134, 0.1215 +/- 0.0116, 0.1048 +/- 0.0143, and 0.0717 +/- 0.0074, respectively) showed that the lower differentiation of astrocytoma, the higher ET-1 expression (P < 0.01). The expression of ET-1 was significantly correleted with the tumor grading (r = 0.863, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The ET-1 quantitative analysis may be used as a monitoring index of astrocytoma growing.
Li
Jian-min
JM
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325003, P. R. China. ljmin@wzptt.zj.cn
Wu
Xiu-ling
XL
Zhu
Qi-jian
QJ
Wang
Qun-ji
QJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D019332:Endothelin-1