Expression of p21, VEGF and CD44S gene proteins in brain astrocytoma and its clinical significance

    LIU Yingª²Jie£¬ ZHAO Qianª²Lu£¬ MA Liª²Jie£¬ WANG Xianª²Hua

    Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital, North China Coal Medical University, Tangshan 063000, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To identify the protein expression of p21, vascular growth factor (VEGF) and CD44S in the astrocytoma to find the mechanism of tumorigenesis, growth, invasion and diffusion. METHODS: ¢ÙThe experimental group consisted of forty paraffinª²embedded samples of brain astrocytoma with different pathologic types while the control group consisted of ten normal brain tissues. ¢ÚThe expressions of p21, VEGF and CD44S were detected by immunohistochemistry technology. ¢ÛSignificance was set at ¦Á=0.05 and Studentª²Newnanª²Keuls test for variables was performed for statistic evaluation. RESULTS: ¢Ùp21 protein expression was negative in all the ten normal brain tissues and its positive expression rate was 75% in brain astrocytoma tissues. But the rates were inversely correlated with increased histological grade and they were 1.28¡À0.07, 1.23¡À0.10, 0.94¡À0.11 and 0.85¡À0.12 respectively in brain astrocytoma of grade ¢ñ, ¢ò, ¢ó and ¢ô. The difference between the lower and higher grades was significant (P<0.01). ¢ÚVEGF expression of protein was negative in all the ten normal brain tissues, but strongly positive in brain astrocytoma and was correlated with increased histological grade and they were 108¡À7,105¡À8, 96¡À11 and 95¡À9 respectively in the brain astrocytoma of grade ¢ñ, ¢ò, ¢ó and ¢ô. The difference between lower and higher grade was significant (P<0.01). ¢ÛCD44S expression of protein was negative in all the ten normal brain tissues,but strongly positive in brain astrocytoma and was correlated with increased histological grade and they were 120¡À11, 113¡À11, 99¡À11 and 91¡À14 respectively in the brain astrocytoma of grade ¢ñ, ¢ò, ¢ó and ¢ô. The difference between normal, lower and higher of grade was significant (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: ¢ÙThe brain astrocytoma results from the interaction of many factors and pathways. ¢ÚThe proteins of p21, VEGF and CD44S can be taken as molecular markers for the evaluation of malignant grade and the prognosis of brain astrocytoma. ......