Abstract: Abstract: Objective To study the expressions of osteopontin (OPN)， caspase-3 and mt-P53 proteins, and their relationship in gliomas. Methods Seventy gliomas specimens of patients (glioma group) were selected, and 10 samples of non-glioma brain tissue were used as control group. The SP method was used to detect the positive rates of protein expressions of OPN, caspase- 3 and mt-P53 between two groups. The relationship between protein expressions of OPN, caspase-3 and mt-P53 in gliomas and grade of gliomas were detected by Western blot assay. Spearman rank correlation was compared between the positive expression of OPN, caspase-3 and rate mt-P53. Results The positive expression rates of OPN and mt-P53 were significantly higher in glioma group (64.29% and 60%) than those of control group (no positive expression), but the positive expression rate of caspase- 3 was significantly lower than that of control group (47.14% vs. 90%, P＜0.05). There were no significant differences in OPN, caspase-3 and mt-P53 expressions between different gender, age, tumor size and tumor position (P > 0.05). The higher the WHO classification, the higher the positive expression rates of OPN and mt-P53 (P < 0.001), and the lower the positive expression rate of caspase-3 (P < 0.001). With the increased level of glioma grade, OPN and mt-P53 protein levels were increased, but caspase- 3 protein expression level was decreased. There was a negatively correlation between OPN and the positive expression of caspase- 3, but there was a positive correlation between OPN and the expression of mt-P53 (rs = -0.720 and 0.722, P < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between caspase-3 and mt-P53 expressions (rs = -0.556, P < 0.05). Conclusion The higher the WHO classification, the higher the positive expression rates of OPN and mt-P53, while the lower the positive expression rate of caspase- 3. The study reveals that OPN, caspase-3 and mt-P53 expressions are associated with the occurrence and the progress of gliomas. The combined detection of them can contribute to the judgment of biological behavior of gliomas.

Key words: glioma, osteopontin, caspase 3, genes, p53