Yoshifumi Oda

Inhibition of cell growth and tumorigenesis of human glioblastoma cells by a neutralizing antibody against human basic fibroblast growth factor

We report here that a neutralizing mouse monoclonal antibody against basic FGF inhibited both anchorage‐dependent and anchorage‐independent growth of U‐87MG and T98G human glioblastoma cells and HeLa cells, all of which express both the basic FGF and the FGF remptor genes. In addition, the subcutaneous administration of this antibody significantly suppressed the tumor development or these tumor cells in nude mice. Therefore, basic FGF plays an important role in neoplastic growth of these cells. The neutralization or basic FGF will be effective in controlling the growth of tumors, such as glioblastoma and other cancer cells which bear basic FGF and FGF receptors.

Expression of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 in Human Glioma and Meningioma Tissues

We examined the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR-1), namely FLG, in tissues of 18 human gliomas, 10 human meningiomas, 3 human metastatic brain tumors, and 2 normal human brains by means of immunohistochemistry. All tissues were positively stained for FGFR-1. Primary brain tumors were more abundantly immunoreactive than normal brain tissues (Mann-Whitney U test, P < 0.05). There was significant correlation between the expression level of basic fibroblast growth factor (basic FGF) and that of FGFR-1 in tissues of human glioma (Spearmans test, P < 0.05). The expression level of FGFR-1 of tumor cells increased in correlation with that of endothelial cells in glioma tissues (Spearmans test, P < 0.001). We previously reported that basic FGF is produced in more than 90% of human glioma and meningioma tissues. Together with these data, it is suggested that basic FGF is involved in autonomous cell growth and tumorigenesis of gliomas and meningiomas as an autocrine growth factor in vivo.

Gene expression of fibroblast growth factor receptors in the tissues of human gliomas and meningiomas.

Northern blot analysis showed transcripts of two types of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor genes, flg and bek, in almost all the tissues samples of 18 human gliomas and 22 human meningiomas, which produced abundant basic and/or acidic FGF. From immunohistochemistry, FGF receptors were expressed in the tumor cells of a glioma and a meningioma. RNA expression of these FGF receptors was also detectable in normal human brains and normal bovine meninges. The expression level of either FGF receptor gene was not significantly different between tumor tissues and normal tissues.

The role of cerebrospinal fluid cytology in radiotherapy planning for intracranial germinoma

PURPOSE The association between the cerebrospinal fluid cytology findings and the clinical features of patients with intracranial germinoma was investigated to determine whether cerebrospinal fluid cytology could be helpful in determining the optimal radiation treatment volume. METHODS AND MATERIALS Between 1976 and 1992, cerebrospinal fluid cytology was performed in 42 germinoma patients using a cytocentrifugation method. Forty patients received irradiation and 2 received chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide. RESULTS Cerebrospinal fluid cytology was positive in 22 of the 42 patients (52%). Dissemination via cerebrospinal fluid (intraventricular or spinal) was present at the initial diagnosis in eight (36%) of the 22 cytology-positive patients and none of the 20 negative patients. After treatment, cerebrospinal fluid dissemination developed in four (18%) of the cytology-positive patients and one (5%) of the negative patients. Two of the former four patients had received chemotherapy alone as initial treatment. Five patients with positive cytology received irradiation to a smaller volume than the cerebrospinal axis (primary tumor site plus spinal axis in three and whole brain in two), but they have not developed recurrence in the 4 to 14 years since therapy. The 5-year survival rate was 93% for the cytology-positive patients and 94% for the negative patients. CONCLUSION Cerebrospinal fluid cytology-positive patients have a higher risk of cerebrospinal fluid dissemination and it seems reasonable to give them low-dose (20-24 Gy) prophylactic craniospinal irradiation. When properly irradiated, the prognosis of cytology-positive patients is as good as that of negative patients.

Apoptosis induced by selenium in human glioma cell lines

Several studies have shown that selenium can inhibit tumorigenesis in tissues. However, little is known about the mechanism and the effect of selenium on DNA, especially in brain tumor cells. In this study we examined the biological effect of selenium on human glioma cell lines (A172 and T98G). Selenium exhibited an antiproliferative effect on these cell lines (and induced the typical ladder pattern of DNA fragmentation commonly found in apoptosis), which were prevented by catalase. Few effects of selenium on NTI4 fibroblasts were found. These findings demonstrate that selenium may induce, by apoptosis, cell death of human glioma cell lines, which are resulting from free radical oxygen forming.

Glucose consumption in recurrent gliomas.

In order to investigate the clinical significance of glucose consumption (GC) in recurrent gliomas, positron emission tomography with 18F-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose was measured in 18 cases of histologically verified recurrent gliomas. The GC of the tumors were categorized into four groups. Five tumors were in Group IV, the highest GC, four were in Group III, eight were in Group II, and one was in Group I. Masses in Groups III and IV were clearly defined as a hot spot higher than or similar to the GC of the contralateral cortex. Half of the recurrent gliomas showed the lower GC of Group I or II, but two thirds of these were histologically high-grade gliomas. Although GC in the recurrent gliomas did not always increase as expected, a focal increase of GC, even mild and small, in the area of previous surgery is diagnostically important. Tumors with high GC showed high histological malignancy, irrespective of tissue damage. Patients with tumors of low GC had longer survival rates than those with high GC, although statistical significance was not obtained. Thus, positron emission tomography with 18F-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose was useful for detecting the recurrence of gliomas and suggesting their histological malignancy and prognosis. Care should be taken because viable tumor cells could be present in areas of low GC and small recurrent masses could be missed because of the poor spatial resolution of positron emission tomography.

EFFECT OF SELENIUM ON MALIGNANT TUMOR CELLS OF BRAIN

Some reports have demonstrated that selenium can inhibit tumorigenesis in some tissues of animal. However, little is known about the inhibitory effect on malignant tumor cells of brain. The purpose of our study was to determine the biological effect of selenium on growth of rat glioma and human glioblastoma cell lines. Cell lines C6 and A172 were obtained from Japanese Cancer Research Resources Bank, Tokyo, Japan (JCRB). Cells were cultured in Dulbeccos Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere of air and 5% CO2. Antiproliferative effects of selenium were evaluated using growth rate assay quantifying cell number by MTT assay. An antiproliferative effect of selenium was found in two cell lines, which was more effective on human A172 glioblastoma and less effective on rat C6 glioma.

Efficacy of a blood substitute (Fluosol-DA, 20%) on cerebral ischemia.

Fluosol-DA, 20%, was intravenously infused in 28 patients suffering from cerebrovascular disease, and was found to be effective in 60% of the cases with vasospasm and in 80% of the cases with stenosis and/or occlusion of the artery. Administration of the solution increases r-CBF by 10.1 to 37.9% when measured by either intra-arterial injection or inhalation of 133Xe. However, an increase of arterial oxygen tension appears to have little effect on r-CBF after administration of the solution. The increase of r-CBF caused by Fluosol-DA, 20%, may be due not only to the lowering viscosity of the mixed blood but also to its direct effect on dilating cerebral vessels.

Boron neutron capture therapy : Preliminary study of BNCT with sodium borocaptate (Na2B12H11SH) on glioblastoma

To plan the optimal BNCT using BSH for glioblastoma patients, the10B concentration in tumor and blood was investigated in 11newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients. All patients received 20 mg BSH/kgbody weight 2.5–16 hrs prior to tumor removal. The quantitativedistribution of 10B was determined by prompt gamma rayspectrometry and/or α-track autoradiography. 10Bdistribution in tumors was heterogeneous, ± 25% of scatteringat the microscopic level, and the distribution was also heterogeneous at thetissue level. 10B concentration in blood decreased inbi-exponential decay as a function of the time after the end of theadministration. The T/B ratio showed non-exponential increase with largevariation. The maximum T/B ratio would be around 1. The tumor/normal brain(T/N) ratio of 10B concentration was 11.0 ± 3.2. The10B content in normal brain is originated in vascular10B in parenchyma, since the 10B content innormal brain to blood (N/B ratio) being compatible with the blood content inparenchyma. These values allow for BNCT, using thermal neutrons, on braintumors located less than approximately 3.3 cm in depth from the brainsurface of neutron incidence, providing that the dose on the normalendothelium is controlled to less than the tolerance limit. In ourpreliminary study of BNCT, a 31% 3-year survival was achieved overall for 16 glioblastoma patients and a 50% 2-year survival wasachieved on 8 glioblastoma patients in our recent dose escalation studybased on these data.

A case of treatment-related leukoencephalpathy: sequential MRI, CT and PET findings

SummaryA case of treatment-related leukoencephalopathy is presented. A patient with medulloblastoma was postoperatively treated with craniospinal axis irradiation. One month after irradiation, weekly intrathecal administration of methotrexate was performed 4 times to treat cerebrospinal fluid dissemination of the tumor. Two months after the initiation of intrathecal chemotherapy, the patient became somnolent and developed decerebrate posturing. Magnetic resonance imaging showed diffuse leukoencephalopathy. Positron emission tomography revealed a diffuse decrease in glucose uptake in the deep white matter. Auditory evoked potential also showed diffuse abnormalities, not only in the cerebrum, but also in the brain stem. High dose intravenous leucovorin rescue was attempted without any neurologic improvement.