[Proliferative activities, oncoprotein expression and their significance in human gliomas].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between the proliferative activities, oncoprotein expression, cell differentiation and prognosis of gliomas.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry and image analysis were used to study the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and several oncoproteins both qualitatively and quantitatively in 124 brain gliomas.

RESULTS

It was found that the intensities of PCNA reaction were significantly related to both the grade and prognosis of gliomas. Overexpression of c-erbB-2 protein was slightly stronger in well than in poorly-differenciated gliomas. Moreover, the reactions in patients who survived over 5 years were stronger than in those under 5 years. EGF (40.0%), EGFR (91.4%) and p21ras (53.3%) expression levels were related to neigher the grading nor prognosis of this tumor. The positive ratios of the three antibodies to p53 protein were higher in grades II-IV than in grade I gliomas. The intensity of p53 reaction was correlated to that of PCNA.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that the aberration of c-erbB-2, p21ras, EGF and EGFR might be the early events in the initiation and progression of gliomas, whereas p53 is involved in all stages of these tumors. PCNA could reflect the degree of malignancy to a certain extent.