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Human Meningiomas (human + meningioma)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Platelet-activating factor and human meningiomas

NEUROPATHOLOGY & APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2006
Y. Denizot
Meningiomas are common primary intracranial tumours. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an inflammatory and angiogenic lipid mediator involved in several types of cancer. The presence of PAF receptor (PAF-R) transcripts, the levels of PAF, the phospholipase A2 activity (PLA2, the enzymatic activity implicated in PAF formation) and the PAF acetylhydrolase activity (AHA, the PAF degrading enzyme) were investigated in 49 human meningiomas. PAF-R transcripts, PAF, PLA2 and AHA were detected in meningiomas. However, their levels did not correlate with biological parameters such as the tumour grade, the presence of associated oedema, necrosis, mitotic index as well as intensity of the neovascularization and chronic inflammatory response. In conclusion, PAF is present in meningiomas where it might act on tumour growth by altering the local angiogenic and/or cytokine networks as previously suggested for human breast and colorectal cancer. [source]

Histomorphometry of brain tumours

NEUROPATHOLOGY & APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2004
R. Nafe
In this review, the results of previous histomorphometric studies of brain tumours are summarized and discussed with respect to their potential value for diagnostic purposes and for tumour research. In the majority of these studies, human gliomas were investigated. In a few studies, human meningiomas and other human or experimental tumour types were investigated. A computerized image analysis system was used for the morphometric analyses in most studies. The three main histologic structures examined were tumour cell nuclei, nucleolar organizer regions and tumour vessels. The current state of knowledge provides evidence that a diagnostic benefit could be provided by histomorphometric investigations of brain tumours, especially for grading of gliomas and with respect to independent prognostic information. Additional studies are necessary to delineate the spectrum of histomorphometric parameters and the investigation of their prognostic significance for cases with the same tumour type and tumour grade. Together with many recently published observations in this field, this review shows that histomorphometry is an important approach towards the investigation of brain tumour biology. [source]

Expression and structure of interleukin 4 receptors in primary meningeal tumors

CANCER, Issue 10 2005
Sachin Puri M.Sc.
Abstract BACKGROUND It was reported previously that malignant human tumors, like glioma and medulloblastoma, express high-density interleukin (IL-4) receptor mRNA and protein. Because IL-4 receptors (R) are sensitive targets for targeted therapeutics, knowledge of the expression of these receptors in other central nervous system tumors is of great interest. In this study, the authors examined the expression and subunit composition of IL-4R complex in primary human meningiomas. METHODS Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis for IL-13R,1, IL-4R, and IL-2R,c was performed on total RNA extracted from 35 meningiomas and a normal human brain tissue sample. Results were confirmed in nine randomly selected tumors by quantitative real-time PCR and in situ immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS Transcripts for the IL-4R, and IL-13R,1 chains were overexpressed in meningiomas compared with normal brain tissue. The levels of IL-4R, mRNA appeared to be higher compared with the levels of IL-13R,1 mRNA. The results also showed that tumors with higher disease grade tended to have increased mRNA expression for the IL-4R, chain. This IL-4R, mRNA overexpression appeared to be more frequent in younger patients (age < 37 years). The transcripts for IL-2R,c chain were not detected in any of the tumor samples or in normal brain tissue. Quantitative real-time PCR confirmed the results of the RT-PCR analysis. Meningiomas also demonstrated a bright immunofluorescent staining for the IL-4R, and IL-13R,1 chains but no staining for IL-2R,c. CONCLUSIONS Expression of the IL-4R, and IL-13R,1 chains and absence of IL-2,c expression established that meningiomas expressed type II IL-4Rs. These receptors may serve as a target for cytotoxin/immunotoxin therapy in patients with meningioma who are not amenable to surgical resection or for recurrent tumors. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society. [source]