Imidazoline I2 receptor density increases with the malignancy of human gliomas

Background: Current glioma grading schemes are limited by subjective histological criteria. Imidazoline I2 receptors are principally expressed on glial cells. Objective: To investigate the feasibility of using the measurement of imidazoline I2 receptor expression to differentiate glial tumours from other types of brain tumours and for grading the different gliomas. Methods: The specific binding of [3H]idazoxan to imidazoline I2 receptors was measured in homogenates from human gliomas of different grades. Results: The density of imidazoline I2 receptors was significantly greater in the three types of malignant glial tumours than in postmortem control brain or non-glial tumours. The increase in density correlated with the malignancy grade of the gliomas. No significant differences in affinity values were observed. Conclusion: These results suggest that the density of imidazoline I2 receptors may be a useful radioligand parameter for the differentiation of glial tumours from other types of brain tumours and for grading the different gliomas.