title: Slit2 and Robo1 expression as biomarkers for assessing prognosis in brain glioma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to investigate the clinical significance of Slit2 and Robo1 expression in prognosis of patients with brain gliomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human brain tissue samples were collected from normal glial tissues (control), low- and high-grade glioma tissues. Slit2 and Robo1 expression levels in cells were assessed by an immunohistochemistry (IHC), and population of the Slit2- and Robo1-presenting patients was examined. The Slit2 and Robo1 mRNA expression levels in three types of the brain cells was determined by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Slit2+cell counts were decreased with increased Robo1+cells in the low-grade and high-grade glioma tissues as compared to the control. The percentage of cells expressing Slit2 decreased from the control to the high-grade glioma and the percentage of cells expressing Robo1 in low- and high-grade gliomas was increased as compared to the control (P < 0.01). The decrease in the Slit2 mRNA expression was associated with the increase in the Robo1 mRNA expression in the low- and high-grade gliomas (P < 0.01 or 0.05). Survival time for patients with Slit2-/Robo1+gliomas was shorter than patients with Slit2+/Robo1+gliomas in the investigated cohorts (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Slit2 and Robo1 expression levels serve as a biomarker with utility in grading gliomas as well as predicting patient survival. The change in Slit2 expression is more reliable and effective than Robo1 expression in predicting a poor prognosis of brain glioma patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, China. Electronic address: lqliu74@sina.com.
authors.forename: Liqiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, Dongying People's Hospital of Shandong Province, Dongying, Shandong, 257091, China.
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, Dongying People's Hospital of Shandong Province, Dongying, Shandong, 257091, China.
authors.forename: Shaomei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Surgery, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, China.
authors.forename: Yanwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, Third Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050011, China.
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, China.
authors.forename: Hongchao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, China.
authors.forename: Zhaohui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050000, China.
authors.forename: Zhongjie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D015996:Survival Rate; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins; D000098552:Slit Homolog 2 Protein
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins; D000098552:Slit Homolog 2 Protein
keywords: Brain gliomas; Robo1; Slit2; Survival proportion and prognosis of gliomas