[Cathepsin B expression and malignances and angiogenesis in gliomas]

To test the expression of Cathepsin B (CB) protease in gliomas and to investigate its correlation with the malignance and angiogenesis of gliomas.

Immunochemistry technique of strept actividin-biotin complex (SABC) was used to identify the CB expression and to measure the microvessel density (MVD) in 47 gliomas samples and 5 normal human brain tissues from patients with spontaneous cerebral hemorrhage.

No CB expression was detected in the normal brain tissues. The expression levels of CB in astrocytoma, anaplastoma, and glioblastoma were 30% (6/20 weak positive), 86.7% (3/15 weak and, 10/15 moderate positive), and 100.0% (2/12 moderate and 10/12 strong positive), respectively. The malignances of gliomas increased with CB expression (r=0. 77, P<0.05). The MVD also increased with CB expression (r= 0.56, P<0. 05), with an average of 15.57 +/- 8.52, 22.50 +/- 14.42, 39.85 +/- 8.75 and 49.90 +/- 11.30 for the negative, weak, moderate, and strong CB expression gliomas respectively.

CB expression is positively correlated with the malignances and angiogenesis of gliomas. CB expression could be one of the indicators for the degree of malignances and invasion of gliomas.