A study on the correlation between STAT‑1 and mutant p53 expression in glioma

Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor in adults and the second most common malignant tumor in children. Aberrant expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT‑1) and p53 are known to affect the occurrence and progression of malignant tumors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of STAT‑1 and mutant p53 gene, as well as their correlation, in patients with glioma. The present study included 50 patients who underwent glioma resection at the First Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University between December 2007 and December 2011, and 10 patients with acute cerebral contusion who underwent intracerebral hematoma removal at the same hospital between January 2013 and January 2014. The expression of STAT‑1 and mutant p53 protein in patients with different grades of glioma was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Spearman's correlation coefficient was employed to examine the correlation between STAT‑1 and the grade of glioma, and mutant p53 expression. The results demonstrated that the mean expression of STAT‑1 in glioma was significantly lower compared with normal brain tissue (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the STAT‑1 positive expression rate between the two groups (χ2=1.38, P>0.05). The expression score (P<0.05) and positive expression rate (χ2=31.27, P<0.05) of mutant p53 in glioma was significantly higher compared with those in normal brain tissue. Statistical analysis revealed a negative correlation between STAT‑1 expression and the grade of glioma (r=‑0.767, P<0.05). In addition, mutant p53 expression was negatively correlated with STAT‑1 expression in glioma (r=‑0.876, P<0.05). The observed negative correlation between STAT‑1 and the pathological grade of glioma suggested an association between STAT‑1 and the occurrence and development of glioma, thus revealing the potential of STAT‑1 as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for glioma.