[Anti-TA226 human monoclonal antibody (ACA-11) against glioma].

A human monoclonal antibody (ACA-11) against TA226 reacted with various glioma tissues, but did not react with normal brain tissues. TA226 was expressed on glioma cells and not detected in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. ACA-11 exhibited antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity against glioma cells.

Tamoxifen interacts with NEU/C-ERBB-2 receptor and inhibits growth of human malignant glioma cell lines.

The effects of tamoxifen, an antiestrogen, on the inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in neu/c-erbB-2 receptor, DNA synthesis and proliferation were evaluated using the malignant glioma cell lines U25 IMG and T98G which overexpressing neu/c-erbB-2. Pretreatment of two cell lines with tamoxifen resulted in a dose dependent inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation as well as DNA synthesis and cell growth in two cell lines correlatively. The results support the hypothesis that activated protein tyrosine kinase receptors are involved in the proliferation of glioma cells.

Overcoming of radioresistance in human gliomas by p21WAF1/CIP1 antisense oligonucleotide.

Malignant gliomas are highly resistant tumors against gamma-irradiation and contained overexpression of p21WAF1/CIP1 (p21). Overexpression of p21 enhanced clonogenic survival and suppressed apoptosis after gamma-irradiation in human brain tumor cell lines with or without p53 protein deficiency. The effect of antisense oligonucleotide to p21 against the gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity in malignant glioma cell lines was examined.

[A case of metastatic tumor of the pituitary gland presenting as a subarachnoid hemorrhage].

We reported the case of a 55-year-old man with metastatic tumor of the pituitary gland who suffered from symptomatic pituitary apoplexy with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The patient, who had sigmoid colon carcinoma and left parietal metastatic brain tumor, developed severe headache and decrease of right visual acuity. CT showed a pituitary mass with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

In vivo gene transfer into the periventricular region by electroporation.

Gene transfer by electroporation was attempted in the normal rat brain. The reporter gene pEGFP-C1 (25 micrograms/5 microliters) was injected into the striatum of young adult rats and various square electrical impulses were applied using a pair of electrodes implanted in the striatum. The brains were removed and sliced after 5 days.