Expression of p53 in oligodendrogliomas

The expression of the nuclear protein p53 in oligodendrogliomas was investigated by immunohistochemistry, using a monoclonal anti-p53 antibody (DO-7) on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material in 84 histologically verified cases, and compared with the histopathological grade and survival. p53-immunoreactive cells were found in 75 per cent of the samples acquired at the first biopsy. The p53 labelling index was not related to the degree of nuclear anaplasia. Tumour cases with more than 75 per cent p53 immunostained cells had a rapidly fatal clinical course. However, no significant correlation was found between p53 labelling index and tumour grade, mitotic index, or ploidy status. In most tumour recurrences (n = 25), the p53 labelling index increased or remained at the level of the first biopsy. In five cases (6 per cent), p53 was absent in the first sample as well as in the recurrence. Irrespective of the underlying aberration of either the gene or the metabolic pathway of p53, it is concluded that a high percentage (i.e., more than 75 per cent) of p53-immunolabelled cells is predictive of an unfavourable clinical course, while a percentage lower than 75 per cent immunoreactive cells does not exclude a rapid fatal outcome.