Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is Related to Poor Survival in Glioblastomas: Single-Institution Experience

PURPOSE: There are conflicting results surrounding the prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) status in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Accordingly, we attempted to assess the influence of EGFR expression on the survival of GBM patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty three GBM patients who had received surgery and postoperative radiotherapy at our institute, between March 1997 and February 2006, were included. The evaluation of EGFR expression with immunohistochemistry was available for 30 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: EGFR was expressed in 23 patients (76.7%), and not expressed in seven (23.3%). Survival in EGFR expressing GBM patients was significantly less than that in non-expressing patients (median survival: 12.5 versus 17.5 months, p=0.013). Patients who received more than 60 Gy showed improved survival over those who received up to 60 Gy (median survival: 17.0 versus 9.0 months, p=0.000). Negative EGFR expression and a higher radiation dose were significantly correlated with improved survival on multivariate analysis. Survival rates showed no differences according to age, sex, and surgical extent. CONCLUSION: The expression of EGFR demonstrated a significantly deleterious effect on the survival of GBM patients. Therefore, approaches targeting EGFR should be considered in potential treatment methods for GBM patients, in addition to current management strategies.

Gene Therapy with Adenoviral GDNF Vector in the Animal Model of Parkinson's Disease / 대한해부학회지

A recombinant adenoviral vector encoding human GDNF gene (Ad -GDNF) was developed to investigate the effect of GDNF gene in 6 -OHDA -induced Parkinson's disease rat. The changes of rotatory behavior and density of TH -immunoreactive axon terminals and number of cell bodies were observed by the GDNF expression. Adult male Sprague -Dawley rats were used. Parkinson's disease (PD) rat models were prepared by the injection of 6 -OHDA into the striatum. After 1 week, the animals showing apomorphine -induced rotatory behavior above 7 turns/ min were defined as PD rat model. Ad -GDNF was injected into the striatum of animal model and tested the apomorphine -induced rotatory behavior at 1 week after injection. These animals were perfused with Zamboni fixative to investigate the morphological changes after rotatory behavior test. Instead of Ad -GDNF, Ad -LacZ injected PD rats were used as a control. The following results are obtained: 1. The apomorphine -induced rotational behavior was significantly reduced by the treatment of PD rat by the injection of Ad -GDNF. The Ad -LacZ injected PD rat showed no change in rotatory behavior. 2. The density of TH -ir axon terminals in the striatum was significantly increased by the Ad -GDNF injection (75% of normal side), but there was no change in the density by the Ad -LacZ injection (37% of normal side) compared to 6 - OHDA lesioned striatum. This means the Ad -GDNF injection prevented the degenerative change of TH -ir axon terminals in the stritum of the PD rat. 3. The number of TH -ir cell body was significantly recovered by the Ad -GDNF (82% of normal side), but there was not recovered by the Ad -LacZ injection (60% of normal side) compared to 6 -OHDA lesion. This means the retrogradely transported Ad -GDNF induced the TH expression in the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. Gene therapy with Ad -GDNF prevented the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and axon terminals in the 6 - OHDA -induced PD rat.