S. Alsarraj et Lr. Bridges, P53 IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN ASTROCYTOMAS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SURVIVAL, British journal of neurosurgery, 9(2), 1995, pp. 143-149
p53 is a putative tumour suppressor gene implicated in a wide range of
human malignancies. Mutation of p53 gene results in a more stable pro
duct and increased quantities of p53 protein in the cell. Thus, unlike
the normal situation, mutated p53 is detectable by immunohistochemist
ry. We stained frozen sections of 74 astrocytomas with two antibodies
to p53, PAb 1801 and PAb 421. Overall 18/74 (24%) of astrocytomas show
ed p53 immunoreactivity. Fifteen of 47 (32%) grade IV were p53 immunop
ositive, as were 3/16 (19%) grade III, 0/7 (0%) grade II and 0/4 (0%)
grade I astrocytomas. These findings are in agreement with previous st
udies in showing relatively greater numbers of high grade than low gra
de p53 immunopositive rumours. Although we found an expected differenc
e in survival according to grade, there was no significant difference
in survival (p > 0.1) between p53 immunopositive and immunonegative ru
mours. We conclude that, whilst p53 undoubtedly plays an important rol
e in the molecular 'chain' leading to malignancy in some astrocytomas,
within rumours of comparable grade it does not appear to influence su
rvival.