Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0017636 (glioblastoma)
 18,345 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

For the past several years immunologists have been fascinated by a series of experiments showing that transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) suppresses T- and B-lymphocyte growth as well as IgM and IgG production by B cells. Moreover, while exerting chemotactic activity on monocytes and inducing expression of interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 by these cells, TGF beta interferes with bacterially induced tumor necrosis factor alpha production, oxygen radical formation and the adhesiveness of granulocytes to endothelial cells. These mechanisms may provide the basis for the effect of TGF beta to prevent the microvascular changes associated with brain edema formation in bacterial meningitis. Given the potential of lymphocytes as well as macrophages to produce TGF beta 1, this cytokine may exert negative feedback signals on the immune response, provided the cytokine is processed from its latent form to the bioactive homodimer. Potent effects of TGF beta have been observed in experimental animals including the inhibition of the generation of virus-specific cytotoxic T cells and antiviral antibodies as well as the diminution of cellular infiltrates with decreased major histocompatibility complex class-II expression and CD8+ T cells in the tissue of virally infected animals. TGF beta may also be of importance in tumor immunology. By the production of bioactive TGF beta as detected in glioblastoma and acute T-cell leukemia, tumor cells may induce an immunodeficiency state and escape immune surveillance. In inflammation, monitoring of TGF beta in the tissue will bring light on the immune regulation in acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.
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PMID:Modulation of the immune response by transforming growth factor beta. 148 57

Intracranial tuberculoma is a relatively rare tumor in developed countries. A 41-year-old Japanese male with a personal history of pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 20 was referred because of continuous headache. Computed tomography scan revealed multilocular ring-like enhancement in the right deep temporal region with massive brain edema. Angiography showed an avascular mass with narrowing of the carotid bifurcation. The preoperative diagnosis was glioblastoma. This mass was successfully removed and the histological diagnosis was tuberculoma. This case suggested that tuberculoma is still one of the differential diagnoses of an enhanced mass lesion even without any active extracranial tuberculous lesion.
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PMID:[Intracranial tuberculoma with difficult preoperative diagnosis. Case report]. 172 67

Fresh brain-tumor samples were obtained at operation and analyzed for their content of tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA) using an activity assay (gel chromatography zymogram) and an enzyme-linked immunospecific assay. The specimens were taken from 23 glioblastomas, 35 metastatic tumors, 42 meningiomas, 16 low-grade gliomas, and seven acoustic neurinomas; seven specimens were from normal brain. A strong correlation was found between the results of the two assays (r = 0.77, p less than 0.0001). There was a threefold difference in the tPA content of the benign tumors as compared to malignant tumors (p = 0.0006), the latter having less tPA. Histologically benign meningiomas contained higher tPA than malignant meningiomas (p = 0.01); however, the difference between low-grade gliomas and high-grade gliomas was less evident. Overall regression analysis data have shown an inverse relationship between the tissue content in tPA and the presence and degree of tumor necrosis and peritumoral brain edema (p = 0.004 and p = 0.0004, respectively). This finding was most consistent in the glioblastoma group where the correlation coefficient values were r = 0.53 and r = -0.55, respectively. There was no significant correlation between the tissue tPA content and the age and sex, steroid use, or plasma tPA of the patients or the duration of symptoms. In summary, this is the first demonstration of tPA in a large series of human brain tumors and in normal brain. The differences observed have clear biological significance and, although the source of tPA in tumor tissue is still unknown, a relative reduction in tPA in tumor tissue may play an integral role in the development of tissue necrosis and tissue edema. The lack of tPA in tumor necrosis was not due to tissue destruction and cell death since urokinase was readily detectable in that tissue.
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PMID:Biological significance of tissue plasminogen activator content in brain tumors. 189 96

Small animal models such as the rat have serious limitations for multiple human scale instrumentation, surgical manipulations, and computerized tomographic (CT) evaluations, so that large animal models are required for the study using them. Although brain tumors induced with Rous sarcoma virus in neonatal beagle or adult monkey had been reported, these animals are very expensive ones for tumor research. A major drawback of virally induced brain tumor model is, moreover, the need for specialized viral facilities and safety precautions for laboratory personnel. In this paper, a cat glioma model implanted with C6 glioma cells derived from rats injected with N-nitrosomethylurea is reported. For an implantation dose of 5 x 10(5) cells/50 microliters, C6 glioma cells were suspended in modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 0.5% agar. Twenty adult mongrel cats were injected with 5 x 10(5) C6 glioma cells intracerebrally. Implanted cats had brain tumors of about 10 mm in diameter with a yield of 80%. The mean survival was about 3 weeks after implantation. Tumors developed as spheroidal, hemorrhagic masses with central areas of necrosis and peripheral edema. They were located within the parenchyma of the implanted region. This tumor possessed many of the histological and radiological characteristics of human glioblastoma such as the following: Areas of hemorrhage and necrosis surrounded by pseudopallisading were observed within the tumor consisting of spindle-shaped cells with pleomorphic nuclei. A mass lesion with ring or garland-like enhancement surrounded by brain edema was shown on the CT scans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Experimental brain tumor in adult mongrel cat]. 239 Mar 66

Metastatic brain tumors very often cause severe brain edema. We examined ultrastructural findings of capillaries of these tumors and discussed the causes of cerebral edema as compared with those of glioblastoma which were previously reported. Four specimens were examined: two adenocarcinomas from the lung, one squamous cell carcinoma from the lung and one adenocarcinoma from the breast. These replicas and ultrathin sections were examined by transmission electron microscope. The following characteristic structures were detected; the capillary endothelium was proliferated, had marked infolding, and an increased number of pinocytotic vesicles and vacuoles. Short and elongate intercellular junctions were present. No open junction was detected. The basal lamina lost its three layered appearance and was irregular in width. Among these, an appearance of capillary fenestration was the most conspicuous features and observed in almost all capillaries. Two different pathogenesis for making vasogenic edema are proposed in metastatic brain tumor and glioblastoma. The frequent fenestration of the former and activated pinocytotic vesicles of the latter are responsible for extravasation of the edema fluid. The differences in distribution patterns of fenestration in metastatic brain tumor cannot be identified with respect to histological types.
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PMID:[Ultrastructure of capillary permeability in human brain tumor--Part 6: Metastatic brain tumor with brain edema]. 339 12

A retrospective study of 514 consecutive patients whose intracranial pressure (ICP) was monitored after elective supratentorial or infratentorial surgery is reported. Of the 412 patients operated on in the supratentorial region, 76 (18.4%) had a postoperative sustained ICP elevation exceeding 20 torr. Abnormally high ICP occurred after 13 (12.7%) of the 102 infratentorial operations. Risk factors for postoperative ICP elevation were: resection of glioblastoma in 27.2% of cases, repeat surgery in 42.9% of cases, and protracted surgery (greater than 6 hours) in 41.7% of cases. Of the 89 patients with elevated ICP, 47 (52.8%) had an associated clinical deterioration. In 19 of these, the rise in ICP occurred before this deterioration was noticed, leading as a rule to quick diagnostic and management response. In eight patients clinical deterioration was noticed before the rise in ICP, and in 20 it happened simultaneously. The higher the level of ICP elevation, the greater were the chances of associated deterioration. The most common findings on computerized tomography scanning in 35 of 89 patients with elevated ICP were brain edema (19 cases) and bleeding in the tumor bed (15 cases). Mannitol, thiopental, additional hyperventilation, and reintubation (in patients who were previously extubated) were used to reduce ICP, in addition to surgical decompression whenever indicated. Thirteen patients with raised ICP and clinical deterioration underwent reoperation. The postoperative infection rate was 1.2% (six cases). In only one patient could infection be attributed to ICP monitoring. It was concluded that ICP monitoring is advantageous in the immediate postoperative management after elective intracranial surgery and is almost risk-free. It should therefore be used liberally, especially when risk factors for ICP elevation can be identified prior to the end of surgery.
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PMID:Intracranial pressure monitoring after elective intracranial surgery. A retrospective study of 514 consecutive patients. 341 86

Three independent methods were used to quantify the therapeutic effect on peritumoral brain edema with respect to different forms of treatment (dexamethasone, furosemide, and their combination with different dosages and different periods of treatment). 1. The neurological deficit evaluated by frequency distribution analysis showed an improvement in nearly all cases. In a few cases the initial improvement was followed by a secondary deterioration. The various symptoms showed significant differences in regression with regard to the extent of the reduced deficit as well as the time dependence. 2. With a certain delay (compared to item 1), diminution of brain edema was detected by CT follow-up. The effect of dexamethasone and the combination with furosemide differed depending on the nature of the brain tumor. 3. Compared to the untreated patients, the water content was reduced by nearly 3% following dexamethasone treatment 4 x 4 mg for 4 to 6 days. Following dexamethasone/furosemide therapy for 4 to 6 days, it was reduced by about 4.5%. The result of long-term therapy with dexamethasone alone was similar. The sodium content changed parallel to the water content. Dexamethasone and dexamethasone/furosemide was most effective in patients with glioblastoma, where the water content decreased by nearly 6%. The data presented suggest that preoperative antiedema treatment with dexamethasone is necessary for several days or a few weeks in some cases. The period of treatment can be reduced significantly by dexamethasone/furosemide or extremely high doses of dexamethasone. On the other hand, the results of follow-up scoring of the neurological situation show that the optimal time of pretreatment must be limited with respect to the individual case. The therapeutic results presented allow inferences to be made concerning pathophysiology of the resolution of brain edema.
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PMID:Clinical, chemical, and CT evaluation of short-term and long-term antiedema therapy with dexamethasone and diuretics. 745 58

Recent studies using a rat model of pneumococcal meningitis have shown that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors greatly attenuated microvascular changes and brain edema formation. The site of NO production during bacterial meningitis is unknown. In this study we tested whether primary astrocyte cultures from neonatal rat cortex can be induced to release NO upon stimulation with pneumococci. NO production was assessed by measuring nitrite in the cell culture supernatant using the Griess reaction. Stimulation with heat-killed unencapsulated pneumococci (HKP) increased nitrite concentrations in astrocyte culture supernatants in a dose-dependent fashion. Administration of N-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), aminoguanidine, L-canavanine, cycloheximide, and dexamethasone prevented the increase in nitrite concentrations. Addition of L-arginine, but not of D-arginine, partially reversed the inhibitory effect of L-NA. Administration of SOD increased nitrite accumulation. Moreover, at 72 h after stimulation with heat-killed pneumococci (10(7) cfu/ml) astrocytes showed an inducible NOS-like immunoreactivity. Accumulation of nitrite was also observed when rat cerebellar neurons and microglia were stimulated with HKP, whereas there was only a slight increase of nitrite in media of rat C6 glioma cells, but no increase of nitrite when the human glioblastoma cell line LN-229 was stimulated with HKP. There was a stronger increase in nitrite levels when astrocytes from Lewis rats were used compared to that from Wistar rats. In conclusion, our study indicates that astrocytes, neurons and microglia are inducible for NO production upon stimulation with pneumococci.
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PMID:Production of nitrite by primary rat astrocytes in response to pneumococci. 764 48

With the aim of studying the putative involvement of peritumoral microvessels in the formation of brain edema, small pieces of peritumoral brain tissue were removed from six patients with glioblastoma multiforme submitted to surgery. All patients had cerebral edema, as shown by preoperative C.T. and N.M.R. Control specimens were obtained from four patients undergoing ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. The tissue fragments were fixed in glutaraldehyde-osmium and embedded in Epon. In semi-thin sections observed under light microscopy peritumoral endothelial cells exhibited voluminous cytoplasm and nucleus. Under the electron microscope, capillary cells from glioblastoma patients differed from controls mainly by showing nuclei rich in euchromatin, cytoplasm rich in pinocytotic vesicles and with occasional fenestrations. All these morphological characteristics are compatible with a process of reversion of phenotype of capillaries around glioblastomas to that of periphery as well as an increase in permeability. Both events may be due to diffusion of a tumoral vascular permeability/endothelial growth factor. This peripheral vessel phenotype of peritumoral microvessels supports their participation in the formation of brain edema and may provide a new clue for therapeutic intervention: for example it fits quite well to the known increase in permeability by leukotrienes and decrease in permeability by corticosteroids in tumoral edema.
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PMID:Reversion of phenotype of endothelial cells in brain tissue around glioblastomas. 869 34

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)/Vascular Permeability Factor plays an important role in angiogenesis and cell proliferation of cancer cells. Glioblastoma cells are most malignant and show resistance to radiation therapy inducing VEGF to cause angiogenesis and brain edema. In the present study, the regulatory mechanism of the expression of VEGF by ionizing radiation was studied in three human glioblastoma cells. Induction of VEGF mRNA by ionizing radiation was dependent on dose and incubation time. Activator protein-1 (AP-1) was activated by 10 Gy of ionizing radiation in 1 h in T98G glioblastoma cells on an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. We constructed chimeric genes containing various regions of the VEGF promoter gene and the coding region for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and transiently transfected them to T98G cells. CAT assay with the VEGF promoter gene containing an AP-1 site demonstrated that the promoter activity of the VEGF gene was enhanced by ionizing radiation. Immunological analysis of the activity of mitogen-activated protein kinase, ERK1/2, showed that this activity is up-regulated by ionizing radiation. These results suggest that ERK1/2 pathway is involved in the up-regulation of VEGF expression ionizing radiation mediated by AP-1, which may lead to further neovascularization and proliferation of glioblastoma cells resistant to radiation therapy.
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PMID:Mitogen-activated protein kinase, ERK1/2, is essential for the induction of vascular endothelial growth factor by ionizing radiation mediated by activator protein-1 in human glioblastoma cells. 1088 23


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