Detection of Survivin Gene Expression in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissues of Human Osteosarcoma: Its Potential Usefulness in Diagnosis and Prognosis of Bone Tumors

Osteosarcoma is a relatively uncommon malignancy however, it is the most common form of primary malignant bone tumors in human. Diagnosis and prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma is limited to clinico-radiopathological parameters, whereas molecular markers of tumor aggression have been poorly identified. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), is unique for its expression in human tumors and fetal tissues but not in non-dividing normal adult cells. It mediates suppression of apoptosis in many cancers including bone tumors, and plays a role in tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance. In the present study, the expression of survivin was evaluated by heminested RT-PCR for amplifiable mRNA extracted from 23 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens of high-grade osteosarcoma as well as 8 non-tumoral bone tissues. ß2-microglobulin (ß2m) gene expression was also evaluated, and used as an internal control. Survivin gene expression was detected in 82.6% (19/23) of high-grade osteosarcomas. In contrast, there was no gene expression in non-tumoral bone samples as well as the normal tissues obtained from the margin of some osteosarcoma samples. In conclusion, our data revealed that the expression of survivin is limited to osteosarcoma cells and associated with high-grade malignancies. Therefore, evaluating surviving gene expression might have a potential usefulness in diagnosis and prognosis of bone tumors.