HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSE TO P53 IN MALIGNANT GLIOMA

p53 immunoreactivity and humoral immune response to p53 were examined in 14 patients with malignant glioma, including 4 patients with Ieptom eningeal glioma cell dissemination. Twelve patients expressed p53 prot ein within the tumour tissue. p53 antibodies were detected in the seru m in 2 of 14 patients but never in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Solu ble p53 protein was detected neither in serum nor in CSF of the glioma patients. CSF levels of the immunosuppressive cytokine, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, were elevated in the glioma patients, includ ing those with a humoral response to p53. These preliminary findings r aise the possibility of systemic humoral immune responses to antigens, including mutant p53, expressed by glioma cells in the central nervou s system.