Protein biomarker identification in the CSF of patients with CNS lymphoma.

Purpose: Elucidation of the CSF proteome may yield insights into the pathogenesis of CNS disease. We tested the hypothesis that individual CSF proteins distinguish CNS lymphoma from benign focal brain lesions.

Methods: We used a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry-based method to differentially quantify and identify several hundred CSF proteins in CNS lymphoma and control patients.

Phase I study of intraventricular administration of rituximab in patients with recurrent CNS and intraocular lymphoma.

Purpose: We previously determined that intravenous administration of rituximab results in limited penetration of this agent into the leptomeningeal space. Systemic rituximab does not reduce the risk of CNS relapse or dissemination in patients with large cell lymphoma. We therefore conducted a phase I dose-escalation study of intrathecal rituximab monotherapy in patients with recurrent CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Gene expression and angiotropism in primary CNS lymphoma.

Primary CNS lymphoma is an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma whose growth is restricted to the central nervous system. We used cDNA microarray analysis to compare the gene expression signature of primary CNS lymphomas with nodal large B-cell lymphomas. Here, we show that while individual cases of primary CNS lymphomas may be classified as germinal center B-cell, activated B-cell, or type 3 large B-cell lymphoma, brain lymphomas are distinguished from nodal large B-cell lymphomas by high expression of regulators of the unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathway, by the oncogenes c-Myc and Pim-1, and by distinct regulators of apoptosis.