Ploidy of endothelium in high-grade astrocytomas.

To determine the ploidy and proliferative activity of the endothelium in high-grade astrocytomas, the nuclear DNA content of 11 high-grade astrocytomas, including two gliosarcomas, was measured by cytophotometry. This technique allowed comparison of the endothelial population with the astrocytic population. In all cases, the endothelium was diploid, with an average of 24.

Effect of dexamethasone on experimental brain abscess.

Dexamethasone has been used to manage brain edema in patients with intracranial abscess. However, its administration has often been delayed or avoided for fear of adverse effects upon normal host responses to infection. An experimental model of brain abscess in the rat was developed to determine if dexamethasone produced adverse effects on immune competence and collagen deposition in the region of the abscess.

Surgical treatment of Cushing's disease.

The endocrinological, radiological, surgical, and pathological experience with 34 consecutive patients operated on for Cushing's disease is presented. Preoperative endocrine evaluation demonstrated that 19 patients had "typical" endocrine patterns for pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent hypercortisolism and 11 had "atypical" testing. Pituitary pathology was found in 95% of the patients with typical preoperative endocrine testing but in only 55% of those with atypical testing.

Imaging of a glioma using peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligands.

Two types of benzodiazepine receptors have been demonstrated in mammalian tissues, one which is localized on neuronal elements in brain and the other, on glial cells and in peripheral tissues such as kidney. In vivo administration of 3H-labeled PK 11195 [1-(2-chlorophenyl-N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-3-isoquinoline carboxamide] or [3H]flunitrazepam with 5 mg of clonazepam per kg to rats with intracranial C6 gliomas resulted in high levels of tritiated-drug binding to the tumor as shown by quantitative autoradiography. Pharmacological studies indicated that the bound drugs labeled the peripheral benzodiazepine binding site.

Selective localization of gamma-enolase in stromal cells of cerebellar hemangioblastomas.

Three cases of cerebellar hemangioblastoma were studied using the immunoperoxidase technique to localize gamma-enolase, also known as neuron-specific enolase. The stromal cells demonstrated positive staining for gamma-enolase, while endothelial cells and pericytes showed no reactivity. Two vascular lesions, an angiosarcoma and a cutaneous angioma, were studied and found to be nonreactive for gamma-enolase.

Immunocytochemical localization of factor VIII-related antigen in tumors of the human central nervous system.

Using both immunohisto- and immunocytochemical techniques with periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde (PLP) fixation, we have studied the distribution of Factor VIII-related antigen (FVIIIR:Ag) in 12 cases of tumors of the human central nervous system (CNS) and one sample of non-tumor brain tissue. FVIIIR:Ag was found both extracellularly and intracellularly. It was localized in the vascular lumen, between endothelial cells, and in the endothelial cell basement membrane.

Products of cells cultured from gliomas. V. Cytology and morphometry of two cell types cultured from glioma.

Explants of cells of a human glioma were evaluated with the nuclear fluorochrome 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, by phase-contrast illumination, and by Giemsa staining correlated with double immunofluorescence for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and fibronectin (FN). FN-positive (FN+) cells lacked GFAP detectable by immunofluorescence. Their mean nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio was large (0.

DNA content and marker expression in human glioma explants.

Immunohistochemical studies of astrocytoma tissue have predominantly shown fibronectin (FN) positivity restricted to vessels and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positivity in the parenchyma. Cultured glioma cell lines, however, express both FN and GFAP. We measured the DNA content of explants of gliomas to determine if the ploidy of the FN-positive and GFAP-positive cells differed.

Primary cerebellar glioblastoma multiforme.

Glioblastoma multiforme in adults arising in the cerebellum is a rare tumor, well documented in only 13 cases in the literature. We report a fourteenth case, an 80-year-old female, and reassess the clinical and CT aspects of this tumor based on review of the world's literature. The median age of patients is 53 years with a median survival of three months, which is less than adult cerebral hemisphere malignant gliomas.

Thrombospondin-induced attachment and spreading of human squamous carcinoma cells.

Thrombospondin (TSP) induced the attachment and spreading of human squamous carcinoma cells on plastic culture dishes and dishes coated with type I or type IV collagen. Increased adhesion was detected as early as 15 min after treatment. Dose-response studies indicated that 1-5 micrograms of TSP per 35 mm (diameter) culture dish was sufficient to induce a response and that a half-maximal response occurred at 10 micrograms of TSP/dish.

Multiple progressive familial thrombosed arteriovenous malformations.

Thrombosed arteriovenous malformations initially diagnosed as low-grade gliomas in a child and her maternal uncle are presented. In both patients, there was progression of the disease as evidenced by the formation of new lesions at distant sites in the brain.

The spectrum of ACTH-producing pituitary lesions.

The immunohistochemical characterization of 92 surgically resected abnormal pituitaries showed 24 cases with ACTH immunoreactivity. These included two cases of nodular hyperplasias, 20 functional adenomas, and two silent corticotropic adenomas. Both patients with nodular hyperplasia and 19 patients with functional adenomas had Cushing's disease, while one patient with a functional adenoma had Nelson's syndrome.

Stereotaxic biopsy of intrinsic lesions of the brain stem.

Despite improved brain-stem imaging by magnetic resonance and high-resolution x-ray computerized tomography, definitive diagnosis and therapy of intrinsic lesions of the brain stem require histological verification. A stereotaxic approach to brain-stem lesions provides a high yield of positive histological diagnosis with a low incidence of morbidity. A series of 14 stereotaxic procedures performed on 12 patients with intrinsic lesions of the mesencephalon, pons, and medulla is reviewed.

Products of cells cultured from gliomas. IV. Extracellular matrix proteins of gliomas.

Five primary and 3 established human glioma cell lines were cultured with ascorbate and examined for expression of extracellular matrix components. All lines except C6 expressed collagen as assessed by silver impregnation, immunofluorescence and lectin staining and expressed laminin and fibronectin. None expressed a lectin marker for endothelial cells.

Phosphorus-32 therapy of cystic Grade IV astrocytomas: technique and preliminary application.

Instillation of [32P]chromic phosphate to cystic brain tumors was performed in six patients. Three patients had craniopharyngioma, two had Grade IV astrocytoma and one had Grade II astrocytoma. The cyst volumes ranged from 2 to 44 cc.

Cerebral pilocytic astrocytoma.

Cerebral pilocytic astrocytoma is a known intracranial tumor, but its biological characteristics are less well documented. The authors report 30 patients with cerebral pilocytic astrocytoma who were accessioned by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology between 1970 and 1980. Histological appearance of the tumor was correlated with clinical characteristics.

Prevention of spread of echovirus 6 in a special care baby unit.

A case of fatal neonatal infection with enteric cytopathogenic human orphan virus (echovirus) type 6 is presented. The measures taken to prevent further spread of infection with special reference to the use of human normal immunoglobulin are described.

Stromal and nuclear markers for rapid identification of pituitary adenomas at biopsy.

We tested fluorescent and light microscopic markers to improve recognition of pituitary adenomas at biopsy. The optimal reagent was 100 mg/L of fluoresceinated Ricinus communis agglutinin 120 (RCA 120) lectin plus 3 mg/L of propidium iodide. The refrigerated solution was immediately available for use on routine frozen sections.

Products of cultured neuroglial cells: II. The production of fibronectin by C6 glioma cells.

The possibility of fibronectin production by C6 glioma cells was examined with assays which require protein synthesis. Proteins produced by C6 cells using radiolabeled amino acid precursors were tested for affinity to collagen by binding to immobilized gelatin. The predominant collagen binding protein made by C6 coelectrophoresed with fibronectin synthesized by control fibroblasts and with the larger of the two proteins in unlabeled fibronectin when applied to polyacrylamide gels with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS).

Disseminated aspergillosis following radiation therapy for medulloblastoma.

A 16 year old girl who underwent surgery and radiotherapy for medulloblastoma is described. Shortly following the completion of treatment symptoms developed suggestive of tumour recurrence. At post mortem the cause was identified as disseminated aspergillosis with extensive cerebral involvement.

Myelopathy following intrathecal chemotherapy in a patient with extensive Burkitt's lymphoma and altered immune status.

A 30-year-old homosexual man presented with widespread Burkitt's lymphoma. On the basis of immunologic and viral studies, he was suspected of having the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Following chemotherapy that included intrathecal cytosine arabinoside and methotrexate, brain stem edema, paraplegia, and an elevated cerebrospinal fluid level of myelin basic protein developed.

Ascending myelopathy after chemotherapy for central nervous system acute lymphoblastic leukemia: correlation with cerebrospinal fluid myelin basic protein.

Ascending myelopathy developed in a previously irradiated 10-year-old boy after intraventricular methotrexate and cytosine arabinoside were given for central nervous system relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The course was fatal in 10 weeks. Cerebrospinal fluid myelin basic protein levels, indicating a demyelinative process, rose prior to the onset of clinical symptoms and remained at very high levels until death.

A human ganglioglioma containing paired helical filaments.

Neurofibrillary tangles composed of paired helical filaments were found in a human ganglioglioma. This is the first reported occurrence of neurofibrillary tangles in a neoplasm. These tangles were visible light microscopically with hematoxylin-eosin and Bodian's stains.

Sarcoma arising from a gliosarcoma.

An 18-year-old woman with headaches and visual abnormalities was found upon biopsy to have an occipital gliosarcoma, which was treated with irradiation and chemotherapy for a year. Cells in the gliosarcoma tissue were positive for GFAP. At necropsy, only the sarcoma was evident at the site of original surgical removal.