Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0017638 (glioma)
 30,880 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and its receptors was analyzed in 14 gliomas of various degrees of malignancy and compared with three gliosis cases by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry techniques. Expression of both PDGF A- and B-chains was higher in glioblastomas than in astrocytomas. The PDGF A-chain mRNA was predominantly found in cell-rich areas in glioblastomas. The cognate PDGF-alpha receptor (PDGFR-alpha) mRNA was heterogeneously distributed in gliomas of all grades, and PDGFR-alpha expression was higher in gliomas than in gliosis. Within some glioblastomas probed with PDGFR-alpha complementary RNA, cells heavily loaded with grains were intermingled with others containing low or moderate signals. The heavily labeled cells were often found in the vicinity of proliferating capillaries. Immunostaining with an anti-PDGF antibody and an affinity-purified antiserum against the PDGFR-alpha showed strong staining of most tumor cells with both antibodies in glioblastoma. In addition, the PDGFR-alpha antibodies yielded a strong staining of scattered cells, and the anti-PDGF antibody yielded staining of a few cells within the astrocytoma. Furthermore, high levels of the PDGF-beta receptor (PDGFR-beta) and PDGF B-chain mRNA as well as the beta receptor protein were found in hyperplastic capillaries. These results suggest the presence of autocrine and paracrine loops in glioma, activating the PDGFR-alpha in glioma cells and the PDGFR-beta in endothelial cells.
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PMID:Platelet-derived growth factor and its receptors in human glioma tissue: expression of messenger RNA and protein suggests the presence of autocrine and paracrine loops. 131 61

The frequency of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in each glioma tissue and the relation between the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the frequency of NORs was investigated. The number of Ag-NORs per cell for glioblastoma multiforme was significantly higher than that for anaplastic astrocytoma (P less than 0.05) and that for astrocytoma (P less than 0.01). The number of Ag-NORs per cell for GFAP-positive cells was significantly lower than that for GFAP-negative cells in each histopathological grade (P less than 0.01). Moreover, the linear relationship was demonstrated between the Ag-NORs numbers of GFAP-negative cells and bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) labeling indices. From these results, it is concluded that many GFAP-positive glioma cells may have low growth potential in glioma tissue and GFAP-negative cells may have a close relation to cell proliferation. The combination of immunohistochemical and silver colloid staining is a useful method for investigating the biological characteristics of brain tumors.
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PMID:Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression and nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in human gliomas. 131 73

It has been shown both in vivo and in culture that astrocytes communicate with brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMECs) to induce many of the blood-brain barrier characteristics attributed to these unique cells. However, the results using cultured cells are conflicting as to whether this communication is dependent upon cell-cell contact. In this study we used primary cultures of bovine BMECs grown as monolayers on polycarbonate filters to study the formation of the barrier in vitro and examine its modulation by rat C6 glioma cells. Effects were examined by treating postconfluent BMEC monolayers with medium conditioned continually by C6 cells from the basolateral side to mimic the in vivo orientation. Cell monolayer integrity was assessed using electrical resistance and by measuring diffusion of uncharged molecules. BMEC monolayers form a functionally polarized and leaky barrier, with maximal resistance of 160 omega . cm2 and significant flux of molecules of molecular weight less than 350 Da. Treatment with rat or human astroglioma cells rather than pericytoma cells or transformed fibroblasts results in a concentration-dependent 200-440% increase in electrical resistance and a coincident 50% decrease in permeability to sucrose and dextran (70 kDa). The decrease in passive diffusion is most likely due to a change in tight junctions and not to transcellular vesicular traffic. The findings support that astroglioma cells release one or more signals that are required for cultured BMECs to express a "differentiated" phenotype associated with a tighter barrier, increased gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, and decreased pinocytic activity. The relative ease and quickness of this culture system makes it amenable to studies on cell-cell interaction and regulation of barrier maintenance.
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PMID:Permeability of bovine brain microvessel endothelial cells in vitro: barrier tightening by a factor released from astroglioma cells. 134 2

Electrophysiological techniques and Xenopus oocytes were used to study the expression of neurotransmitter receptors encoded by mRNAs isolated from three human glioma cell lines. Oocytes injected with mRNAs from two glioblastoma cell lines did not show electrical responses to the various neurotransmitters tested. In contrast, oocytes injected with mRNA from an astrocytoma cell line (R-111) acquired acetylcholine and glutamate receptors as well as a small number of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Acetylcholine elicited oscillatory Cl- currents that were abolished by muscarinic antagonists. The muscarinic receptors are coupled to the inositol phosphate-Ca2+ receptor-channel coupling system. Glutamate and its analogs kainate, quisqualate, and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid induced smooth currents. The non-NMDA responses were potently blocked by 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3 dione. Our results show that human astrocytoma cells contain mRNAs coding for functional acetylcholine and glutamate receptors that have properties similar to those of neurons. In contrast, human glioblastoma cells lacked those mRNAs. These differences might be useful for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
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PMID:mRNA coding for neurotransmitter receptors in a human astrocytoma. 134 61

Human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) is a high molecular weight plasma proteinase inhibitor exhibiting a broad specificity; in fact it is capable of binding endopeptidases from all known classes of proteases (Barret 1981). Two human glioma cell lines, namely an astrocytoma and a glioblastoma, were found to synthesize and secrete in the culture medium a protein which resembles the serum alpha 2M for immunological, biochemical and biological features. Using polyclonal antibodies to serum alpha 2M, an alpha 2M-like factor could be detected in the cytoplasm and in the culture medium of the tumor cells. Furthermore this factor accumulated in cytoplasmic granules if cells were incubated with monensin and its production was dramatically reduced following a treatment with cycloheximide. This protein behaved like the serum alpha 2M in immunoblotting analysis and exhibited the same antiproteolytic activity. Its role in human brain is unknown at present. Since interactions of proteinases and proteinase-inhibitors appear to influence the host-tumor immune response and to play a crucial role during the migration of metastasizing tumor cells, alpha 2M expression observed in these glioma cells could be involved in tumor cell proliferation and invasion.
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PMID:Synthesis and secretion of alpha 2-macroglobulin by human glioma established cell lines. 137 55

We report a case of intracranial dissemination developing approximately 6 months after partial removal of a spinal cord astrocytoma in a 40-year-old male. The clinical course and postmortem findings indicate that the tumor originated in the cervical cord and extended into the subarachnoid space, first the spinal canal and later intracranially. Spinal cord glioma dissemination through the cerebrospinal fluid is more common than previously considered and indicates a dismal prognosis. An aggressive approach, including radical surgery, entire neuraxis irradiation, and adjuvant chemotherapy, is suggested as the initial treatment for malignant spinal cord glioma to prevent subsequent dissemination.
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PMID:Intracranial seeding following surgery for spinal cord astrocytoma--case report. 137 44

Astrocytes have been regarded as the matrix of the central nervous system and as nutritional, metabolic support to neurons. Recently, immunological roles of astrocytes have been reported, especially in multiple sclerosis and experimental allergic encephalitis. One observation shows that human glioma cells, which lack CD4 molecules, can be infected with human immunodeficiency virus in vitro. Another report described that human macrophages can be infected with human immunodeficiency virus through Fc gamma receptors expressed on their cell surfaces. These results prompted us to examine the functioning molecules, especially Fc gamma receptor for immunoglobulin G, expressed on the astroglial cell line. From erythrocyte-antibody rosette assays, redirected cytolysis and flow cytometric analysis, we have shown that human astrocytoma cell lines possess Fc gamma receptors on their cell surfaces. Furthermore, primary cultured murine astrocytes express Fc gamma II receptors, reacting with 2.4G2 monoclonal antibody. Surprisingly, murine astrocytes prepared from newborn BALB/c mice demonstrate killing activity against allogeneic T cell leukemia by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. After treatment with the macrophage activating factor, interferon-gamma, expression of Fc gamma receptors and killer activity of astrocytes were augmented. From these results, it is suspected that the astroglial cell lines play an important immunological role in the brain.
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PMID:Expression of Fc gamma receptors on astroglial cell lines and their role in the central nervous system. 138 16

The demonstration and accurate localization of intracerebral mass lesions are commonly performed with computerized tomography (CT), which often cannot determine the nature of the lesion. As an aid in the differential diagnosis between brain abscess and neoplasm, the authors have evaluated both 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) leukocyte scintigraphy and the serum C-reactive protein level. Of 23 patients with intracranial mass lesions, 22 individuals showed ring-like contrast enhancement on CT scans; the one exception was a patient treated for a meningioma who had a negative CT scan despite clinical suspicion of intra- or extracranial abscess. The final diagnosis was invariably established by microscopic examination of tissue specimens. In 10 patients the final diagnosis was brain abscess; the other 13 patients harbored a brain neoplasm (glioma in nine, astrocytoma in one, and metastasis in three). The 99mTc-HMPAO leukocyte scintigraphy detected all cases of abscess. There were no false-positive results. An elevated C-reactive protein level (> 13 mg/liter) was found in all but one patient with abscess and in three patients with neoplasm; two of these three patients had dental root infections which could account for the elevation of C-reactive protein. It is concluded that 99mTc-HMPAO leukocyte scintigraphy should be performed when there is a possibility that a brain abscess may exist. Any steroid treatment should be discontinued for 48 hours prior to leukocyte scintigraphy. Also, C-reactive protein determination should be performed and is useful even when steroids are given.
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PMID:99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime leukocyte scintigraphy and C-reactive protein levels in the differential diagnosis of brain abscesses. 140 15

Glutathione (GSH) and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) plays an important role in the protection of cells against damage from free radicals and also influences cytotoxicity to some kinds of chemotherapeutic agents. GST comprises a group of abundant and widely distributed catalytic and binding proteins that facilitate the conjugation of GSH with the electrophilic center of a large spectrum of hydrophilic molecules. Multiple GST isozymes in mammalian tissues arise from dimeric combination of a number of distinct subunits grouped into three major classes: alpha (alpha), mu (mu), and pi (p). We report the total GST, GST-p activity and GSH content of human brain tumors, C6 rat glioma cells and drug resistant C6 cells. The values of total GST activity in 42 normal brain and brain tumors were quantitatively analyzed. Total GST activity was 92.6 +/- 25.1 units (mean +/- standard deviation) in 8 samples of normal brain tissues, 126 +/- 58.8 units in five grade II or III astrocytomas (154 +/- 63.3 units in grade II astrocytomas, 84.4 +/- 2.7 units in 2 grade III astrocytoma), 66.2 +/- 29.3 in 5 glioblastoma cases, 94.7 +/- 47.7 units in 3 metastatic tumors, 302 +/- 114 unit in 8 meningiomas and 213 +/- 90.4 units in 3 neurinomas. Differences of GST activity between glioblastomas and meningiomas, grade II or III astrocytomas and meningioma, in normal brain tissues and meningioma were statistically significant (p < 0.01). The difference between normal brain tissues and benign tumors (meningiomas and neurinomas), gliomas and benign tumors were also statistically significant (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Quantitative analysis of glutathione and glutathione S-transferase in human brain tumors, C6 rat glioma cells and drug resistant C6 cells]. 140 41

The ganglioside composition of 15 cases of meningioma, 15 cases of astrocytoma, 5 cases of neurinoma, 4 cases of ependymoma, 3 cases of metastatic brain tumor and 1 case each of mixed glioma, oligodendroglioma, medulloblastoma, embryonal carcinoma, and cultured glioma cell line were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. The GM2, GD3, and GD2 content of the tumors was determined using specific monoclonal antibodies (MAb). Cases were grouped according to the difference in ganglioside pattern and various clinical features. In meningiomas and astrocytomas, GM3 and GD3 were the major gangliosides. The tumor content of the rather simple gangliosides (GM3, GM2, GD3, GD2) increased or was almost equal to that of normal tissue (leptomeninges tissue in the case of meningiomas, and brain tissue in the case of astrocytomas), while the tumor content of complex gangliosides (GM1, GD1a, GT1a, GT1b) decreased as compared with normal tissue. The GM3 content of meningiomas increased in middle-aged patients, who comprised the majority of the patients with these tumors. The GD2 content decreased in middle-aged patients with initial symptoms of meningioma within a year. The GM3 content of astrocytomas decreased in patients who underwent radiotherapy. The amount of GM3 and GD3 increased in small tumors. GM3 may be related to the early proliferative stage. The ganglioside patterns of brain tumors are shown in this study to differ according to clinical features and also to be changeable in their clinical courses.
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PMID:Ganglioside composition and its relation to clinical data in brain tumors. 140 35


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