title: Nuclear accumulation of basic fibroblast growth factor in human astrocytic tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors recently reported that nuclear accumulation of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) demonstrated a significant correlation with recurrence of pituitary adenomas. The current study sought to determine whether nuclear bFGF accumulation was a predictor of survival in patients with astrocytic tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors examined 52 patients with primary astrocytic tumors. Immunohistochemical assays for bFGF, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen were performed. Immunoreactivity of bFGF in nuclei was recorded in terms of the bFGF nuclear index (NI), which was calculated as the percentage of tumor cells with nuclear immunoreactivity. Western blot analysis of bFGF in nuclear fractions was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The bFGF NI had a mean value of 35.1% and was < 30% (low NI) in 27 patients and >or= 30% (high NI) in 25 patients. In all cases, FGFR1 immunoreactivity was observed in the cytoplasm but not in the nucleus. Western blot analysis indicated that the nuclear fractions from tumor specimens with high NI contained high-molecular-weight bFGF. Univariate analyses showed that age, tumor histology, gender, and bFGF NI were significantly correlated with patient survival. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that NI had the greatest influence (P = 0.0073) on survival rate, compared with age (P = 0.0083) and gender (P = 0.0492). Compared with low NI, high NI was associated with a relative risk of 3.292.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the current study suggest that bFGF NI may be a useful predictor of survival in patients with astrocytic tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan. ndmcsf@aol.com
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nawashiro
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ooigawa
authors.forename: Namiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Takahito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohnuki
authors.forename: Nobusuke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuzuki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: Shoichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Katsuji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2