IMMUNOREACTIVITY OF PLEURAL MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMAS TO GLUTATHIONE S-TRANSFERASES

Malignant mesotheliomas show a highly variable aggressiveness, but it is difficult to predict the outcome in the individual case at the time of diagnosis. Glutathione S-transferases are detoxification enzymes t hat have been correlated with the prognosis in some tumours. We have t herefore assessed the value of GST expression as a prognostic paramete r in mesotheliomas. The reactivities to GST-pi, -alpha and -mu antibod ies were studied in histological sections from altogether 88 cases. Mo st of them showed distinct cytoplasmic reactivity to one or more of th e GST antibodies tested. This high prevalence is in good agreement wit h the low responsiveness of mesotheliomas to chemotherapy However, the re was no prognostic value in detecting GST immunoreactivity, and it g ave no information of value for distinguishing between neoplastic and reactive mesothelium.