Expression of survivin in reactive and neoplastic astrocytes: an immunohistochemical study using tissue microarray techniques

Objective To study the difference of survivin and Ki-67 proteins expression in reactive and neoplastic astrocytes and the related clinical meaning.Methods Immunohistochemistry and tissue microarray techniques were used to determinate the expression of survivin and Ki-67 proteins in 12 cases of normal brain tissues,49 cases of astrocytes proliferation,49 cases of low-grade astrocytomas,and 50 cases of high-grade astrocytomas.Results The expression of survivin and Ki-67 proteins were negative in the normal control tissues;the positive rates of survivin and Ki-67 expressions in reactive astrocytes were 26.7% and 22.2%,53.2% and 70.2% in low-grade astrocytomas;88.1% and 95.2% in high-grade astrocytomas,respectively.There were significant differences between astrocytes proliferation and low-grade astrocytomas group(P0.01).(Conclusion) Survivin protein plays an important role in progression of astrocytomas;survivin and Ki-67 protein might be useful to differerentiate diagnose reactive astrocytes proliferation and low-grade astrocytomas.