Abstract: Objective To investigate the expression of IGFBP-2 in the plasma and tumor tissues of patients with glioma and to evaluate its clinical significance. Methods The expression of plasma IGFBP-2 was tested by ELISA in 92 cases of glioma(grade Ⅱ 38, grade Ⅲ 24 and grade Ⅳ 30) and 18 cases of healthy controls. For the same patients the expression of IGFBP-2 in the paired glioma was investigated by immunohistochemical technique using monoclonal antibody. Results Plasma IGFBP-2 expression in grade Ⅲ was significantly higher than that in grade Ⅱ(P<0.001) and controls(P<0.001), and that in grade Ⅳ was significantly higher than that in grade Ⅱ(P<0.001) and controls(P=0.001). There was no significant difference between grade Ⅲ and grade Ⅳ(P=0.562), and between grade Ⅱ and controls(P=0.821). Tumor IGFBP-2 expression in grade Ⅳ was significantly higher than that in grade Ⅲ(P=0.006) and grade Ⅱ(P<0.001), and that in grade Ⅲ was significantly higher than that in grade Ⅱ(P=0.022). Plasma IGFBP-2 expression in IGFBP-2(+) glioma was higher than that in IGFBP-2(-) glioma(P=0.017) and controls(P=0.003), and no difference was noted between IGFBP-2(-) glioma and controls(P=0.262). Conclusion The expression of IGFBP-2 in plasma and glioma may be a marker for the prognosis of glioma.

Key words: gliomas, IGFBP-2, immunohistochemistry, ELISA