Komei Ueki

Preliminary evaluation of intratumoral injection of a Streptococcus pyrogenes preparation in patients with malignant brain tumors.

Thirteen patients with malignant brain tumors, 12 anaplastic gliomas and one metastatic tumor, received repeated intratumoral injections of an immunopotentiator, Picibanil, prepared from streptococcus pyogenes. All patients tolerated this therapy; morbidity rates were acceptable. Significant tumor regression was noted on computerized tomography scanning for 6 of 12 patients for whom scanning was performed. Histologic examination of the post‐therapy specimens obtained from 8 patients revealed that inflammatory reactions were evoked in all of the tumors, although the extent of inflammatory changes varied from patient to patient and mostly was localized to an area surrounding the intratumoral tubes.

Ultrastructural and biochemical studies on ouabain-induced oedematous brain.

SummaryOuabain, a specific inhibitor of active cation transport across cell membrane, was applied topically to brain surface of cats. The cerebral cortex to which 10−3 M ouabain was applied showed a spongy state, which was ultrastructurally revealed to be swelling of the neuronal cell processes, especially of dendrites. Astrocytes did not show swelling even in the most severely affected lesions. There was a marked increase in sodium with a slight increase of water in the most severely affected lesions. There was a marked increase in sodium with a slight increase of water in the cortex treated with 10−3 M ouabain. No evidence of increased vascular permeability was noted in the cortex, morphologically or biochemically. Electron microscopic cytochemistry to detect the sodium ion revealed that the increased sodium in the cortex accumulated in the swollen neuronal cell processes.It is speculated that neuronal rather than astrocytic elements might be highly dependent upon active cation transport, and that intracellular oedema in the brain tissue responsible for impairment of active cation transport might be related primarily to neuronal elements.

Morphological studies of hamster brain cells transformed in vitro by a human papovavirus BK

SummaryThe cytomorphology and cytogenesis of BK virus-transformed hamster brain cells (HBBK cells) were studied. HBBK cells with indistinct processes showed a tendency to epithelial arrangement as well as characteristics of malignant tumor cells in vitro, and developed long, delicate processes when cell growth was suppressed. Glial fibrillary acidic protein was demonstrated by immunofluorescence in the cytoplasm of almost all HBBK cells. The tumors arising in hamsters after subcutaneous inoculation of HBBK cells were classified as poorly differentiated gliomas.These findings suggest that selective transformation of glial cells in hamster brain cells by BK virus occurred.

Angiographic appearance of a huge retrocerebellar arachnoid cyst in an infant

SummaryA detailed analysis of the angiographic findings with a congenital retrocerebellar arachnoid cyst in an infant is reported. The angiographic features are a huge retrocerebellar extra-axial avascular mass compressing and displacing the fourth ventricle anteriorly, dysgenesis of the cerebellum, a tight posterior fossa and transtentorial upward herniation of the monticulus and brainstem.