REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN BROMODEOXYURIDINE UPTAKE, EXPRESSION OF KI-67PROTEIN, AND NUCLEOLAR ORGANIZER REGION COUNTS IN GLIOBLASTOMA-MULTIFORME

To investigate intratumoral differences in indices of tumor cell proli feration, we measured the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index (BrdUrd LI) , the Ki-67 protein proliferating cell indices (PCIs) determined by mo noclonal antibody MIB 1 in microwave-processed paraffin sections (MIB 1 PCI) and in some cases by monoclonal antibody in frozen sections (Ki -67 PCI), and counts of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNO Rs) in 20 glioblastomas. In the most actively proliferating areas, MIB 1 and Ki-67 PCIs correlated well with the BrdUrd LI and with each oth er, while AgNOR counts correlated less strongly with these indices. In less active areas, the MIB 1 PCI and BrdUrd LI changed concomitantly from one area to another within a tumor except in areas of pseudopalis ading with necrosis; in these areas the BrdUrd LT decreased significan tly compared with neighboring tumor tissue, while the MIB 1 PCI did no t. There was very little staining of gemistocytic nuclei with either a nti-BrdUrd or MIB 1 monoclonal antibodies; this supports the concept t hat gemistocytes are mainly quiescent cells. AgNORs in all of the abov e-mentioned areas varied from tumor to tumor, which suggests that they may indicate some cellular activity other than proliferation. The clo se correlation between the BrdUrd LI and Ki-67 protein PCIs in corresp onding regions of glioblastomas suggests that MIB 1 staining of microw ave-processed paraffin sections can be used to evaluate the growth pot ential of individual glioblastomas and possibly of other gliomas as we ll.