ANNEXIN-II MARKS ASTROCYTIC BRAIN-TUMORS OF HIGH HISTOLOGIC GRADE

Annexin II is highly expressed in glioblastoma multiforme [Reeves, S. A.; Chavez-Kappel, C.; Davis, R.; Rosenblum, M.; Israel, M. A. Develop mental regulation of annexin II (lipocortin 2) in human brain and expr ession in high grade glioma. Cancer Res. 52:6871-6876; 1992] and is a likely second messenger in mitogenic pathways known to be important fo r the growth of these tumors. We have examined tumor tissue from patie nts diagnosed with low-, intermediate-, or high-grade astrocytic tumor s for expression of annexin II by immunohistochemistry, and found that annexin II levels varied significantly among these three tumors (P < 0.0005). Level were highest in glioblastoma multiforme, intermediate i n anaplastic astrocytomas, and lowest in astrocytomas. In contrast to the usual cytoplasmic localization of annexin II, distinct nuclear sta ining was found in many of the specimens. Reactive astrocytes found in gliotic brain also stained with anti-annexin II antibody. We examined matched specimens for a correlation between annexin II staining inten sity and the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index and found that, while tu mors with the most intense annexin II staining had highest bromodeoxyu ridine labeling indexes, there was not a strong association between th ese two parameters. The association between annexin II staining and hi stologic grade in astrocytic malignancies indicates that annexin II ma y be an important marker of high-grade glial tumors, and suggests that this marker may be useful for the pathologic classification of glial tumors and the clinical evaluation of brain tumor patients.