Homozygous deletions of p16INK4A/MTS1 and p15INK4B/MTS2 genes in glioma cells and primary glioma tissues

The p16INK4A/MTS1 (p16) and p15INK4B/MTS2 (p15) genes map to 9p21 where genetic alterations have been frequently reported in various human tumors. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we investigated the loss of these genes on primary glioma samples and cultured glioma cells. All or any of three exons of the p16 gene were homozygously delted in 11 (35.5%) of 31 glioblastomas, none of 9 anaplastic astrocytomas and 5 astrocytomas, and in all 6 human glioma cell lines. Exon 2 of the p15 gene was homozygously deleted in 4 (12.9%) of 31 glioblastomas, but not in lower grade gliomas. It was homozygously deleted in 5 (83.3%) of 6 glioma cell lines. In 12 short-term cultures of cells derived from primary glioma samples, 5 (41.7%) and 2 (16.7%) glioblastoma-derived cells had homozygous deletion of all or any of the three exons of the p16 gene and exon 2 of the p15 gene, respectively. The deletion pattern of these genes in cultured cells was completely consistent with that seen in the primary tumors. Furthermore, two long-term cultures retained both genes that were identical to those in the original tumor tissues. Our results indicate that loss of the p16 and p15 genes may be involved in tumor progression in human gliomas, especially in the development of glioblastoma, that this loss may give growth advantage to the cells in culture, and that it is not the result of culture artifacts.

A clinical and neuroradiological study of X-linked hydrocephalus in Japan

To clarify the clinicopathological features of X-linked hydrocephalus, the authors studied 30 affected males from 15 families. In utero ultrasonography, performed at 21 to 40 weeks of gestation, revealed 18 fetuses with hydrocephalus. Computerized tomography (CT) revealed bilateral enlargement of the lateral ventricle with preponderant dilation of the posterior horn. In five patients with complete magnetic resonance (MR) imaging data, the most specific finding was localized atrophy of the anterior vermian lobe. Other MR imaging findings included a large massa intermedia, flat corpora quadrigemina, a small brainstem, and diffuse hypoplasia of the cerebral white matter. In all cases, the corpus callosum was hypoplastic or aplastic. The aqueduct was patent in four of five cases. Asymmetrical reduction of the ventricular size and a rippled ventricular wall were characteristic postshunt CT findings. Progressive macrocephaly and symptoms due to increased intracranial pressure were ameliorated by the shunt; however, the neurological outcome was not improved by shunting. Of 14 patients who lived to be between 2 and 18 years of age, all are retarded. These results indicate that X-linked hydrocephalus is not a disease of simple ventriculomegaly due to aqueduct stenosis alone but involves other complicated central nervous system anomalies.

Transformation of type 1 astrocytes with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea: establishment of an in vitro system and the role of the p53 gene

N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-induced gliomas, animal models of human gliomas, are most frequently oligodendrocytic, while human gliomas tend to be astrocytic. To facilitate a detailed study of human glial carcinogenesis, we developed an in vitro system using type 1 astrocyte transformation with ENU. Type 1 astrocytes from fetal Wistar rat brain were treated by a single dose of ENU. Transformed colonies appeared 50 days after exposure to single doses of ENU greater than 150 micrograms/mL. Cloned cells from these colonies retained the immunohistochemical characteristics of type 1 astrocytes. They showed rapid growth and high saturation densities, colony formation in low (2%) serum medium and gave rise to tumors when injected into nude mice. When p53 expression was studied at each passage, a single cell positive for mutant p53 protein emerged 40 days after ENU treatment. In the next 1-3 passages, the mutant p53 positive cell formed piled-up colonies and exhibited dominant growth. Northern blot analysis showed markedly increased accumulations of p53 mRNA in transformed cells. This in vitro transformation system of type 1 astrocytes provides a valuable tool for further investigations of astrocyte carcinogenesis.

Long-term effects of radiation for medulloblastoma on intellectual and physical development. A case report of monozygotic twins

BACKGROUND

Recent advances in treatment have improved the prognosis for medulloblastoma. Although postoperative radiation of the central nervous system (CNS) is widely practiced, late radiation sequelae, especially in long-term survivors, pose a constant risk.

METHODS

To assess the long-term effects of CNS radiation, a monozygotic twin girl with medulloblastoma was compared with her normal twin. Treatment included total removal of the mass, postoperative chemotherapy, and CNS radiation with 47.8 Gy directed to the posterior fossa, 30.2 Gy to the cerebral hemispheres, and 20 Gy to the whole spine.

RESULTS

Not only the radiated patient's spine but also the unradiated upper and lower limbs were shorter than the control subject's. The patient's thyroid hormone level was within normal range; however, thyroid-stimulating hormone was higher than normal. The patient's intellectual ability deteriorated, and cognitive dysfunction has not improved as of 6 years after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment systems that do not cause late sequelae affecting physical and intellectual development should be pursued.

Anti-proliferative effects of TNP-470 on human malignant glioma in vivo: potent inhibition of tumor angiogenesis

A novel angiogenesis inhibitor TNP-470 was investigated for its anti-tumor activity against malignant gliomas both in vitro and in vivo. TNP-470 cytostatically inhibited the growth in all of the seven glioma cell lines in culture including anticancer drug resistant cells. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of these glioma cell lines were 10 to 30 micrograms/ml and they were 10 to 20 times higher than IC50 of normal endothelial cells. TNP-470 (30 mg/kg, i.p., every other day) also significantly inhibited the tumor growth of T98G-transplanted nude mice. Microscopically, tumor vessels after the treatment of the tumor-bearing mice with TNP-470 became fewer in number and smaller in diameter than those without treatment. Furthermore, there appeared extensive necrotic areas in the tumor with TNP-470. These results indicate that TNP-470 is a potent angiogenesis inhibitor for malignant gliomas. In addition, the studies of labeling index of BrdU and Ki67 suggest that TNP-470 may act mainly on tumor endothelial cells, thus resulting in reduction of the tumor growth.

Extradural temporal meningioma directly extended to cervical bone--case report

A 42-year-old male presented with a rare extracranial meningioma manifesting as right facial swelling, facial nerve paresis, and hearing disturbance. Neurological imaging revealed a primarily extra-axial tumor extending from the temporal base to the subcutaneous space in the parietal region, and partially into the intra-axial region of the temporal lobe through the dura mater, with a small intracerebral hematoma and a small mass in the porus acusticus destroying the temporal bone, the floor of the middle fossa, zygomatic arch, and porus acusticus. Malignant meningioma was confirmed by histological examination after subtotal tumor removal via the transzygomatic approach. Subdural fluid accumulation like hematoma occurred 5 days after surgery and malignant cells were found in the fluid drained by skull trephination. Subsequently, radiation therapy with a total dose of 60 Gy was administered. One year later, he complained of head and neck pain with motor and sensory disturbances in the right upper extremity, and then developed tetraparesis. Cervical x-ray films demonstrated a compression fracture of the C3 vertebral bone and radiolucent areas at C2-4 levels, while computed tomography showed the tumor invading the subcutaneous space and compressing the spinal cord. He died of respiratory distress. Autopsy revealed that the tumor originated in the temporal region and had directly extended to the cervical region.

[Pharmacokinetics of MX2, a new morpholino anthracycline, in CSF following intravenous injection]

MX2 x HCl is a new morpholino anthracycline derivative with molecular weight 622.07, and highly lipophilic. In the animal experiments, MX2 was found to cross the blood brain barrier after i.v. injection. Its distribution into the brain was increased by intracarotid injection. In the present study, we examined the distribution of MX2 into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after i.v. administration (5 mg/kg) in normal rabbits. Five min after injection, plasma concentration of MX2 reached to the maximum level (4344.5 ng/ml). CSF concentration of MX2 was at the highest level (75.8 ng/ml) 10 min after injection, and thereafter decreased gradually in parallel with plasma concentration. At 5 hrs after injection, CSF concentration became 26.7 ng/ml, AUC half time of elimination, and mean residence time were 3093.8 ng.hr/ml, 4.57 hrs and 5.10 hrs in plasma and 212.3 ng.h/ml, 5.23 hrs and 7.14 hrs in CSF, respectively. These results indicate that MX2 is able to distribute into CSF after i.v. injection, and expected to be a new anticancer drug for brain and leptomeningeal tumors.

Widespread constitutive expression of HSP90 messenger RNA in rat brain

The distribution of constitutively expressed mRNA encoding 2 isoforms of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) was investigated in adult rat brain by in situ hybridization with 35S-labeled cRNA probes. HSP90 mRNA density was estimated by semiquantitative autoradiography and by microscopic analysis. The distribution of HSP90 transcripts was similar for the 2 probes. HSP90 mRNA was widespread but not ubiquitous, and labeling intensity varied among different regions. In particular, HSP90 mRNA was abundant in limbic system-related structures, such as the hippocampus, amygdala, mamillary body, piriform cortex, enthorhinal cortex, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial habenular nucleus, and preoptic hypothalamic nuclei. The highest abundance of mRNA was detected in the Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum. High abundance was also present in pineal body, choroid plexus, cerebellar granule cell layer, and cranial nerve nuclei. HSP90 mRNA was present in moderate abundance throughout the cortical gray mantle, in the caudate-putamen, most other thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, the pontine and spinal gray matter, and the anterior lobe of the hypophysis. Weak hybridization was observed in white matter fiber tracts, glial cells, and leptomeninges, and none was observed in endothelial cells and the smooth muscle of the cerebral microvasculature. Our findings suggest that HSP90 gene products may serve constitutive neuron-specific functions in the unstressed brain.

cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) therapy for brain metastasis of lung cancer. I. Distribution within the central nervous system after intravenous and intracarotid infusion

The distribution of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) was studied in 23 patients undergoing surgical resection of brain tumors metastatic from lung cancer. CDDP (100 mg/m2) was administered intravenously (i.v.) or intra-arterially (IA) at the time of surgery, and various fluids and tissues were sampled for measurement of drug concentration. Comparison of the two routes of administration disclosed that the plasma level was slightly lower after IA than after i.v. infusion, whereas there was no difference between the two routes in terms of drug diffusion into the brain tissue adjacent to the tumor. However, IA administration resulted in an intratumoral drug concentration twice as high as that achieved with i.v. infusion. The tumor:plasma and tumor:adjacent brain ratios of drug concentration after IA injection were also twice those measured after i.v. administration. The distribution pattern of CDDP is characteristic of water-soluble agents. All patients experienced tolerable nausea and vomiting. Creatinine clearance was moderately reduced in ten cases, but no serious renal toxicity was observed. Seizures occurred postoperatively in nine patients. Infrequent side effects were myelosuppression, ototoxicity, and postoperative intracranial bleeding. All adverse effects disappeared with conservative treatment or no intervention.

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy presenting with carpal tunnel syndrome and a new transthyretin mutation, asparagine 70

We report familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy in a pedigree of German ancestry residing in New Jersey. Eight affected subjects presented in the third to seventh decade with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and one subject presented with vitreous opacification. Transmission was autosomal dominant and survival was prolonged. Affected subjects were heterozygous for a novel mutation in serum transthyretin (TTR), resulting in an asparagine for lysine substitution at residue 70 of the TTR monomer. We report two methods for rapid identification of the mutation based on the polymerase chain reaction. This pedigree further emphasizes the evolving phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity of the transthyretinopathies. Familial or sporadic CTS or unexplained vitreous opacification suggest the possibility of TTR amyloidosis and should prompt a search for TTR mutations.

Diagnosis and treatment of patients with meningeal carcinomatosis

The records of thirty-four patients with meningeal carcinomatosis treated at our hospital between 1984 and 1990 were reviewed. The sources, histologies, metastatic lesions outside the central nervous system, the history of the treatment of primary lesions and intraparenchymal of metastatic brain tumors and the period from the diagnosis of primary lesions and the treatment of intraparenchymal metastatic brain tumors to the diagnosis of meningeal carcinomatosis were investigated. Meningeal carcinomatosis was diagnosed and by neurological signs, CSF cytology, CT scan and MRI. Each patient was given a 5 mg single dose of methotrexate (MTX) alone or combined with 20 mg cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) administered by intrathecal injection via an Ommaya reservoir and standard lumbar puncture with or without radiotherapy. Following intrathecal chemotherapy 22 of 29 patients showed symptomatic improvement of meningeal irritation and in 10 of 29 patients with cranial nerve impairment amelioration of symptoms was also observed. Moreover, CSF cytology became negative in 10 of 29 patients after a full course of intrathecal chemotherapy. Neurotoxicity Leukoencephalopathy, a neurotoxic effect of intrathecal chemotherapy was not observed in any of the patients. From these results, MTX in small doses is recommended for intrathecal chemotherapy of meningeal carcinomatosis to prevent neurotoxicity.

[Study of surgical cases of intraparenchymal metastatic brain tumors from solid tumors; analysis for prognostic factors associated with survival]

One-hundred and twenty-five patients who had undergone surgery for intraparenchymal brain metastasis (solitary or multiple) at The Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka, between 1978 and 1988, who had been followed-up until July, 1989 were reviewed. Statistical evaluation of various prognostic factors was performed on the basis of the median survival time after tumor removal for 103 patients after excluding 14 patients who died within 30 days after tumor removal and 8 patients with incomplete medical records. The lesions responsible for death, which included metastasis, carcinogenic tumor in organs other than the brain and treatment-related lesion, and change in performance status after surgical resection as assessed by the score on the Karnofsky scale were also investigated to evaluate the effect of surgical therapy. The overall median survival time of the series was 6.0 months, with a 1-year survival rate of 18%. Favorable prognostic variables showing statistical significance included a preoperative performance status above 40% on the Karnofsky scale and the presence of only brain metastasis, without any metastatic deposits or primary lesions outside the brain. Other favorable prognostic factors, which were not significant on the basis of statistical tests, were an age of under 65, surgical excision of the primary lesion, absence of a primary lesion, absence of metastatic lesions, solid type of tumor, supratentorial location of the tumor, and the use of adjuvant therapy if the tumor is not resistant to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The factor of the free interval was not found to be significant. Regarding the cause of death, only 26% of nonsurvivors died of the brain lesion itself; 69% died of systemic cancer outside the brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Measurements of CSF biochemical tumor markers in patients with meningeal carcinomatosis and brain tumors

CSF beta-glucuronidase, polyamines and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were analyzed in 16 patients with meningeal carcinomatosis from solid tumor in systemic organs, 27 with benign brain lesions, 18 with primary brain tumors, 14 with metastatic brain tumors and 5 with leptomeningeal dissemination of other malignant diseases. Beta-glucuronidase levels in all cases of meningeal carcinomatosis, meningeal gliomatosis and meningeal lymphoma were higher than 100 micrograms/dl/hr; on the other hand, levels in all cases of benign brain lesions were below 100 micrograms/dl/hr. Levels of beta-glucuronidase and polyamines were not high in the cases with positive cytology after tumor resection. Polyamine levels were below 0.05 nmol/ml in all cases after resection of the metastatic brain tumor. Cystic fluid of malignant tumors showed high levels of beta-glucuronidase and polyamines. On the other hand, the levels of polyamines in the cystic fluid of benign tumor were low, although the levels of beta-glucuronidase were high. Some cases of meningeal carcinomatosis with high levels of serum CEA did not show high levels of CSF CEA. For metastatic brain tumors, the cases with intraparenchymal tumors, especially with dural attachment showed high levels of beta-glucuronidase and CEA preoperatively, but they returned to normal after surgery. In cases of meningeal carcinomatosis treated by intrathecal chemotherapy with methotrexate (MTX) and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C), CSF beta-glucuronidase reflected the neurological status better than the cell count decreased rapidly following chemotherapy and beta-glucuronidase was considered as a useful CSF marker in cases of meningeal carcinomatosis to monitor the course of the disease. The same situation was observed in CSF CEA and CEA was also considered as a useful marker when CEA levels in CSF are higher than those in serum.

Shifting of dural arteriovenous malformation from the cavernous sinus to the sigmoid sinus to the transverse sinus after transvenous embolization. A case of left spontaneous carotid-cavernous sinus fistula

The angiographic features of left spontaneous carotid-cavernous sinus fistula and multiple dural arteriovenous malformations that developed after transvenous embolization are described. A dural arteriovenous malformation involving the left sigmoid sinus was demonstrated, along with a marked decrease in size of the left carotid-cavernous sinus fistula and the disappearance of venous drainage from the left cavernous to the right cavernous sinus after embolization with spring coils via the left superior ophthalmic vein. The dural arteriovenous malformation of the left sigmoid sinus subsequently extended to the transverse sinus after partial embolization of the sigmoid sinus. Finally, a dural arteriovenous malformation involving the left transverse sinus developed, with the disappearance of the arteriovenous malformation affecting the sigmoid sinus and left carotid-cavernous sinus fistula following complete embolization of the sigmoid sinus via the left transverse sinus.

[Study of meningeal carcinomatosis: diagnosis and treatment]

Thirty-four patients with meningeal carcinomatosis were treated at The Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka, from 1984 through 1990. The major origin of meningeal carcinomatosis was carcinoma of the lung (14 cases) and breast (8 cases). The most frequent histological type of carcinoma was adenocarcinoma (23 cases). Twenty cases still had active lesions and/or primary lesions in the lung, liver or bone at the time of diagnosis of the meningeal carcinomatosis. The primary lesions were treated surgically in 22 cases, with chemotherapy in 4 cases and with radiotherapy in 2 cases. Metastatic brain tumors were treated by surgical removal followed by chemo-radiotherapy in 12 cases, and with radiotherapy alone in 2 cases. The interval from the time of diagnosis of the primary lesion to the time of diagnosis of the meningeal carcinomatosis varied from one month to eight years, and the interval between surgical removal of metastatic brain tumors and the diagnosis of meningeal carcinomatosis ranged from 0 to 3 years. With regard to the diagnosis of meningeal carcinomatosis, positive cytology was seen in initial standard lumbar puncture in 32 of the 34 patients. CT scan showed abnormal findings in 28 of the 34 patients, including ventricular dilatation only (12 cases), and small enhancing lesions along the CSF space (12 cases). The EEG showed abnormal patterns in 14 of 15 cases. Intrathecal chemotherapy with methotrexate alone or combined methotrexate with cytosine arabinoside via the Ommaya reservoir or standard lumbar puncture alternately with or without radiation therapy was successful as treatment, and 22 of 29 treated patients showed symptomatic improvement of the meningeal irritation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Measurements of CSF biochemical tumor markers in patients with meningeal carcinomatosis]

CSF beta--glucuronidase, polyamines and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were analyzed in 16 patients with meningeal carcinomatosis from solid tumors in systemic organs, 27 with benign brain lesions, 11 with primary brain tumors, 14 with metastatic brain tumors and 5 with leptomeningeal dissemination of other malignant diseases. beta--glucuronidase levels in all cases of meningeal carcinomatosis, meningeal gliomatosis and meningeal lymphoma were higher than 100 micrograms/dl/hr. On the other hand, levels in all cases of benign brain lesions were below 100 micrograms/dl/hr. Levels of beta--glucuronidase in the cases of metastatic brain tumors returned to normal levels after tumor resection. Levels of beta--glucuronidase and polyamines were not high in the cases with positive cytology in CSF after tumor resection. The polyamine level seemed to be dependent on the growth rate of the disease and was shown to below 0.05 nmol/ml in all cases after resection of the metastatic brain tumors. Cystic fluid of both benign and malignant tumor showed high levels of beta--glucuronidase and polyamines except for spermidine and spermine levels in a suprasellar cyst. Some cases of meningeal carcinomatosis with high levels of serum CEA did not always show high levels of CSF CEA. In the surgical cases with a metastatic brain tumor, the cases with leptomeningeal, especially dural attachment showed high levels of beta--glucuronidase and CEA preoperatively, but they returned to normal after surgery. In 2 cases of meningeal carcinomatosis treated by intrathecal chemotherapy with MTX and Ara-C, CSF beta--glucuronidase and CEA showed clinical condition better than the cell count in CSF decreased rapidly following chemotherapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdominal cyst formation following ventriculoperitoneal shunt in a case of hydrocephalus due to cryptococcal meningitis. Case report: completely cured by surgical removal of the cyst and treatment with a newly developed anti-fungal drug (Difulcan)

A 54-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital for evaluation of meningitis. Tuberculous meningitis was suspected initially because of general findings and a high adenosine deaminase activity (ADA) value in the cerebrospinal fluid. Administration of antituberculous drugs was not effective. Computed tomography scanning revealed progression of ventricular enlargement. A ventriculo-peritoneal shunt was placed upon diagnosis of hydrocephalus due to meningitis. The presence of a large abdominal cyst formation was demonstrated. Cryptococcus was detected in the cyst fluid, leading to a diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis. Intravenous administration of fluconazole (400 mg/day) was begun. Excision of the cyst was performed when Cryptococcus was no longer detected in the cyst fluid. The patient recovered uneventfully.

[Ventriculo-lumbar perfusion chemotherapy with methotrexate and cytosine arabinoside for meningeal dissemination of malignant disease]

Ventriculolumbar perfusion chemotherapy with methotrexate (MTX) and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) was performed in six patients with meningeal dissemination of malignant disease. Ten mg of MTX and 40 mg of Ara-C were injected via Ommaya reservoir every 12 hours for 3 days. During perfusion, we observed nausea and vomiting, low grade fever, confusion, nystagmus, paresthesia or numbness of the lower extremities, and multicranial nerve impairment, which disappeared soon after perfusion chemotherapy. After treatment, one patient developed bacterial meningitis, and two developed MTX-induced interstitial pneumonitis, which was cured by steroid therapy. Signs and symptoms due to involvement of the cerebrum, cranial nerves and spinal cord or spinal roots, improved more than by standard intrathecal chemotherapy. Laboratory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings, i.e., cell count and cytological appearance, also improved more than by standard intrathecal chemotherapy. EEG, CT scan and MRI data revealed a worsening of EEG findings in one patient, and a small lesion on MRI, which was not seen by CT scan, disappeared after treatment in two patients.

[Distribution and acute toxicity of a new morpholinoanthracycline, MX2, in normal rat brain after intra-arterial injection]

Intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy has been applied for the treatment of malignant brain tumors to increase the distribution of the drug into the tumor. MX2, a new morpholinoanthracycline, is a lipophilic compound, and has a strong antineoplastic effect against human and rat glioma cells. In this report, the acute toxicity and distribution of MX2 after intracarotid injection were studied using female Wistar rats weighing 150 g. To test the acute toxicity, various doses ranging 1.5 to 6 mg/kg was administered. All rats died within 4 days when received more than 3 mg/kg of intra-arterial or intravenous MX2. No rats died if the dose was reduced to less than 2 mg/kg. For the purpose to examine distribution in the brain, rats which received 2 mg/kg of intra-carotid MX2 were killed 5 to 120 min. after injection. The level of MX2 in the ipsilateral brain tissue reached to the maximum 5 min. after injection, and then rapidly decreased. The maximum concentration of MX2 in the ipsilateral brain was 25-fold higher than that in the contralateral brain, and 20-fold higher than that after intravenous injection of the same dose. The AUC (area under the curve) in the ipsilateral brain after intra-carotid injection was 8.0-fold higher than that in the contralateral brain, and 7.3-fold higher than that after intravenous injection of the same dose. These results indicate that intra-carotid administration can increase the distribution of MX2 in the normal brain.

[Distribution of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum in patients with metastatic brain tumors after intravenous or intracarotid administration]

The distribution of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) was studied in 21 patients with intracerebral metastatic brain tumors from lung cancer after CDDP 100 mg/sq m i.v. or i.a. administration for 20 minutes using an infusion pump during surgery. Surgical tissue specimens of tumor and edematous brain tissue adjacent to tumor were obtained with whole blood soon after CDDP administration and assayed for total platinum using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The pharmacological distribution rates were represented as the brain/plasma, tumor/plasma and tumor/brain ratios. No statistical differences in the CDDP concentrations in the plasma were found between i.a. and i.v. administrations. The platinum concentration in edematous brain tissue adjacent to the tumor was always lower than the platinum concentration in the metastatic intracerebral tumor. No differences were noted for the brain/plasma ratio in the brain tissue adjacent to the tumor between the two administration methods (i.a.: 0.38 +/- 0.09, n = 8; i.v.: 0.43 +/- 0.13, n = 11, M +/- S.E.). However, two cases who each underwent two different administration courses showed i.a. to be pharmacologically advantageous since it resulted in a 2-to-7 times higher concentration in the brain tissue adjacent to the tumor. The tumor/plasma and tumor/brain ratios for i.a. administration (1.72 +/- 0.26, 6.09 +/- 1.30, n = 8, M +/- S.E.) were two times higher than those for i.v. administration 0.90 +/- 0.23, n = 12, 3.40 = 0.59, n = 10, M +/- S.E. (p less than 0.05, p = 0.061, unpaired t-test). Toxic side effects were moderate, especially decreased creatinine clearance, but tolerable. Our preliminary results demonstrated the pharmacologic advantage of i.a. CDDP chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic brain tumor patients.

Motility factor produced by malignant glioma cells: role in tumor invasion

To better understand the cellular mechanism of tumor invasion, the production of a cell motility-stimulating factor by malignant glioma cells was studied in vitro. Serum-free conditioned media from cultures of rat C6 and human T98G cell lines contained a factor that stimulated the locomotion of the producer cells. This factor was termed the "glioma-derived motility factor." The glioma-derived motility factor is a heat-labile protein with a molecular weight greater than 10 kD and has relative stability to acid. The factor showed not only chemotactic activity but also chemokinetic (stimulated random locomotion) activity in the two types of glioma cells studied. Although glioma-derived motility factors in conditioned media obtained from two different cell origins are likely to be the same, chemokinetic migration of T98G cells to their conditioned medium was much stronger than that of C6 cells to theirs. Coincubation of cells with cytochalasin B, which disrupts the assembly of cellular actin microfilaments, almost completely inhibited the cell migration stimulated by glioma-derived motility factor. Cytochalasin B also induced marked alterations in cell morphology, including cell retraction and arborization, while the drug did not affect cell attachment to culture dishes. These results indicate that glioma cells produce a motility factor which may play a role particularly when tumor cells are detached and migrate away from the original tumor mass, thus promoting tumor invasion. Also, glioma cell migration stimulated by the motility factor requires the normal organization of cytoskeletons such as actin microfilaments.

T98G glioma cells have nicks in DNA in quiescent phase

Human glioblastoma-derived cell line, T98G, is arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle when serum is deprived. Using this cell line, we investigated the relation between the cell cycle and DNA single-stranded breaks, "nicks," by an in situ nick-translation method. When T98G cells were cultured without serum for 60 h, many small cells with condensed chromatin and scanty cytoplasm appeared. These small cells that were immunohistochemically considered to be in the G0 or early G1 phase had many nicks in DNA. When serum was added, these small cells with nicks disappeared within 1 to 4 h. VP-16, a DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor, delayed the disappearance of these small cells with nicks. This indicated that the action of DNA topoisomerase II on the chromatin is required to repair nicks in T98G glioma cells and to promote the progression from the quiescent to the proliferating phase.

Effect of MX2, a new morpholino anthracycline, against experimental brain tumors

A new lipophilic morpholino anthracycline derivative, MX2, has an antitumor activity against a wide spectrum of experimental tumors. We examined the effect of MX2 against experimental brain tumors. At a low dose, MX2 exhibited strong growth inhibitory activity against human and rat glioma cells. The survival time of rats with meningeal carcinomatosis induced by intracisternal inoculation of Walker 256 carcinosarcoma cells was significantly prolonged by intravenous MX2. The growth of subcutaneously implanted glioma in rats was significantly retarded by intravenous MX2. These results suggest that MX2 warrants further experimental evaluation of its efficacy against malignant brain tumors including gliomas.

[In situ nick translation for detection of DNA damages in glioma cells]

DNA damaging agents such as nitrosoureas are widely used for the treatment of malignant gliomas. Therefore, quantitative measurement of DNA damages induced by antineoplastic drugs is useful to judge the efficacy of the drug and understand the pharmacological action of the drug. We have utilized in situ nick translation method to demonstrate "nicks" in DNA of glioma cells treated by various antineoplastic agents. Exponentially growing rat 9 L glioma cells (4 x 10(4] were seeded in the chamber slide. After fourty eight hours, the medium was changed to that containing various concentration of the drug (ACNU, cis-DDP, BLM, ADM and VP-16) and the cell was treated for 1 hour. Then, the cell was fixed for 10 minutes in methanol-acetic acid (v/v 3:1). Following fixation, the cell was incubated in the nick translation mixture containing E. coli DNA polymerase I, 3H-TTP, and 4 dNTP's (ATP, GTP, CTP, CTP and TTP) for 10 minutes at room temperature. The slide was dipped in the autoradiographic emulsion, exposed for 4 days at 4 degrees C, and then developed, the number of the silver grains over nuclei was counted under the microscope. For comparison of the effect of the drug to glioma cells, IC50 (inhibitory concentration of the drug for 50% cell kill) of each drug was determined by treating the cell for 48 hours at the various concentration of the drug. Small number of the silver grains was noted in cells with no treatment. Over IC50 as the concentration of the drug increased, the number of the nick increased in cells treated with bleomycin or adriamycin which are known to produce single strand breaks in DNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Epidermal growth factor receptor in human glioma

Distribution of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor in the surgical specimen of the human glioma was studied by immunohistochemical techniques using a monoclonal anti-EGF receptor antibody. Of 11 gliomas examined, EGF receptors were detected in nine glioblastomas and in one fibrillary astrocytoma. In the majority of cells, staining was observed over the cell membrane. Nuclear and cytoplasmic staining was also seen. In four glioblastomas, EGF receptor-positive cells were diffusely distributed in the tumor tissue. In one glioblastoma and one fibrillary astrocytoma, only a few positive cells were observed. These results imply the possible role of EGF receptors in the cellular proliferation of the human glioma.