Abstract

Angiogenesis depends on the net balance between positive and negative angiogenic factors. Tumor cells are angiogenic resulting from increased production of positive factors and decreased production of negative factors. Among these, vascular endothelial growth factor and glioma- derived angiogenesis inhibiting factor are related to glioblastoma multiforme. The p53 gene is more frequently mutated than any other known oncogene or tumor suppressor gene in human tumors including glioblastoma multiforme. Angiogenesis is reported to be controlled by p53 regulation in recent studies. To examine the effect of p53 overexpression on angiogenesis in glioblastoma multiforme, we performed immunohistochemical staining in 51 cases of glioblastoma multiforme, using monoclonal antibodies to p53 protein and factor VIII. 20 cases of low grade astrocytoma were used as control. p53 overexpression was present in 15(75%) of 20 cases of low grade astrocytoma and the mean vessel count was 37.7+/-9.9 at x200 field and 17.5+/-5.8 at x400 field. p53 overexpression was present in 35(68%) of 51 cases of glioblastoma multiforme and the mean vessel count was 91.9 45.8 at x200 field and 40.7 19.1 at x400 field. Mean vessel count in low grade astrocytoma with p53 overexpression was 39.4 10.2 at x200 field and 18.9 5.7 at x400 field, while in cases without p53 overexpression it was 32.4+/-7.6 at x200 field and 13.2 3.5 at x400 field. Mean vessel count in glioblastoma multiforme with p53 overexpression was 94.5+/-51.8 at x200 field and 42.1+/-16.8 at x400 field, while in cases without p53 overexpression it was 86.1+/-29.5 at x200 field and 37.1+/-16.8 at x400 field. The mean survival time was 12.4 months in the 39 cases of glioblastoma multiforme in which follow-up studies were possible. Significant prognostic factors were age, p53 overexpression and adjuvant therapy. These results show that p53 gene mutation is one of the many contributing factors to angiogenesis in glioblastoma multiforme. In addition, other oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, as well as growth factors may be involved. Age, p53 overexpression and adjuvant therapy proved to be significant prognostic factors, while microvessel density was not.

• Keywords: Glioblastoma multiforme;Low grade astrocytoma;p53;Factor VIII