Circulating microparticles of glial origin and tissue factor bearing in high-grade glioma: a potential prothrombotic role

Venous thromboembolism (VIE) may complicate the clinical course of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Circulating microparticles (MPs) have been associated with cancer-related VIE. Sixty-one consecutive patients with GBM undergoing gross-total (41) or subtotal (20) surgical resection followed by radio-chemotherapy were prospectively evaluated. MPs numbers according to cellular origin and the procoagulant activity of annexin V positive (AV+) MPs (MP-activity) were measured before surgery and then 1 week and 1, 4, and 7 months after surgery. Glial (GFAP+) and endothelial (CD62E+) derived MPs, AV+ and tissue factor-bearing (TF+) MPs were measured using flow cytometry. Baseline levels of GFAP+/TF-, TF+/GFAP-, and GFAP+/TF+ MPs were significantly higher in GBM patients than in healthy controls, and significantly increased at each time point after surgery; at 7 months, a further significant increase over the level found a week after surgery was only seen in the subtotally resected patients. The number AV+/CD62E- MPs increased in GBM patients and correlated with MP activity. TF+/GFAP- MPs numbers were significantly higher in 11 GBM patients who developed VTE than in those who did not (p 0.04). TF+/GFAP- MPs levels above the 90th percentile (calculated in GBM patients without VTE) were associated with a higher risk of VIE (RR 4.17, 95% CI 1.57-11.03). In conclusion, the numbers of glial-derived and/or TF-bearing MPs were high in GBM patients both before and even more after the neoplasm was treated, especially in patients with subtotal resection likely according to disease progression. A contribution of TF+/GFAP- MPs to the risk of VIE is suggested.