Morphometric Assessment of Microvessel Density in Astrocytomas : A Tertiary Care Center Study

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate and compare microvessel density morphometrically using endoglin (CD105) and CD34, a pan-endothelial marker in different histological grades of astrocytoma

Settings and Design: tertiary care center, original article

Methods and Material: In 61 cases of astrocytoma, the expression of CD105 and CD34 antibody was morphometrically assessed and mean microvessel density (per mm²), total microvessel area (expressed as µm² per mm² and as  percentage) were calculated and compared in different grades. Ten cases of normal brain tissue retrieved from the archives of  department of pathology that had been submitted for postmortem examination were used as control.

Statistical analysis used: Mean values of the parameters studied were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Studies) statistical program version 18. In all tests, p values less than 0.05 were regarded as significant. For comparison between different groups for each antibody, Kruskal-Wallis test was applied and for comparison between two antibodies among all groups, Mann-Whitney U test was used.

Results: Mean microvessel density (MVD)-CD34 in grade I – IV astrocytoma was 14.5±5.3, 24.1±5.4, 61±8.7 and 89.4±10.7 respectively while MVD-CD105 was 9.40±0.41, 13.97±0.68, 35.72±0.51 and 49.66±1.17 respectively. The total microvessel area (TVA) in grade I – IV astrocytoma using CD34 antibody was 9908±1399.21, 13827±2798.82, 47235±4094.19 and 64840±5656.58 µm² per mm² (r=0.95; p<0.05). The total microvessel area (TVA) was 4865.86±40.91, 6721.16±365.33, 22516.14±185.51 and 31458.9±131.45 µm² per mm² in grade I – IV astrocytoma respectively on using CD105 antibody.

Conclusions: Tumor angiogenesis is an integral component in the progression of low-grade astrocytoma to glioblastoma multiforme.TVA and MVD increases with increasing grade of the astrocytomas.