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Background: Hyaluronidase is hypothesised to play a role in cancer invasion and metastasis formation., Materials and Methods: Hyaluronidase activity was investigated at pH 3.8 in extracts of 30 human brain tumours (17 glioblastomas and 13 brain metastases of carcinomas) and in cancer cell cultures with the ELSA method and zymography., Results: In brain metastases, hyaluronidase activities were significantly higher than in glioma extracts (9.16 +/- 4.48 mU/g vs 4.25 +/- 5.74) which was not explained by serum hyaluronidase contamination. Serum hyaluronidase of tumour patients' sera was within the normal values determined in 28 matched blood donors'sera (33.8 +/- 11 U/l). The maximum hyaluronidase/albumin (U/g) ratio was 0.9, below which the hyaluronidase content of tumours was below the maximum value calculated from the albumin content of the tumour extract and could not be considered as local production by tumour cells. The hyaluronidase content and hyaluronidase/albumin ratio of metastasis extracts was significantly higher than in glioma extracts and patients' sera, whereas no significant difference was found between the ratios of glioma extracts and sera. The production of hyaluronidase was studied in cell extracts and in culture media of 3 human glioma-derived cell lines and of the brain metastasis-derived cell line SA87. Hyaluronidase activity of the metastasis-derived cell line SA87 was 100 to 1000-fold that of glioma cell lines., Conclusion: These results suggest that hyaluronidase is associated with the more aggressive cancer cells and is directly or indirectly involved in brain metastasis phenotype.

Hyaluronan (HA) and the hyaluronan-binding glycoprotein hyaluronectin (HN) were measured in 23 gliomas and 8 meningiomas and their location was revisited in 35 tumours. A clear-cut difference was found in the HN/HA ratio values of glioblastomas (below 0.5) and that of astrocytomas (above 0.5 P < 0.001). Besides their location in the intercellular part of gliomas, HA and HN displayed a perivascular location in 1/3 astrocytomas, 17/24 glioblastomas, and 3/7 meningiomas, suggesting they could be produced also by the vascular stroma of tumours and that they would characterise the neoangiogenesis. All cultivated glioma cells tested produced HA in vitro, whereas only 1/11 cell lines produced HN, at a low level. The results obtained suggest that glioma HA and HN are produced by both cancer cells and vascular stroma cells, which contribute to the edification of the extracellular matrix. In meningiomas only the stroma would be responsible for HA and HN production.

We studied various tumours of the nervous system by the immunofluorescence technique using an anti-brain specific alpha 2 glycoprotein antiserum (anti-NSA3 antiserum). We found the antigen in 24/27 astrocytomas and 4/4 oligodendrogliomas but in none of the 8 meningiomas tested. There was an identity between the astrocytoma/oligodendroglioma antigen and that of normal brain as shown by the immunoprecipitation technique. By the immunofluorescence technique using inhibition of the antiserum we demonstrated that the tumour antigen is devoid of some specific nervous system determinants present in normal brain.

The presence of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA) was tested in biopsy or autopsy specimens of 207 human central nervous system tumors. Samples were fixed, paraffin-embedded and GFA was detected using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. The second part of this study dealt mainly with medulloblastomas and hemangioblastomas. Of the 17 cerebellar medulloblastomas, 15 contained less than 5% GFA positive cells. These were classified according to the Mannoji et al., 1981, criteria. Ten medulloblastomas contained type 1, 2 and 3 cells; 1 was composed of only type 1 cells, and 4 were composed of only type 3 cells. Of the 8 cerebellar or medullary hemangioblastomas, 3 contained only a few GFA positive cells which were, in two cases stroma cells and in another, astrocytes. GFA positive cells were found in 7 oligoastrocytomas, 3 gangliogliomas and 1 hamartoma of the hypothalamus. Similarly, a GFA positive astrocytic differentiation was found in a pineocytoma. In a case of tuberous sclerosis no GFA was found in the giant cells of cortical tubers. Nor was GFA observed in one intracerebral tumor of tuberous sclerosis. GFA was not found in 5 meningiomas, 4 oligodendrogliomas, 4 pituitary adenomas, 3 neurinomas of the VIII cranial nerve, 1 primary cerebellar malignant lymphoma, 1 familial lymphohistiocytosis with cerebellar involvement and 4 brain metastases. The authors also include diagnostic, histogenetic and nosological comments -about neuroglial tumors. The findings in the two parts of this study fail to establish a correlation between GFA positivity and histological grade of astrocytomas and glioblastomas.

A 55 year-old woman was admitted to hospital in January 1981 with transient expressive dysphasia. Past personal history was unremarkable except for a six-month history of renal colic and thrombophlebitis in the veins of the right leg. Computed tomographic scan of the head and carotid angiogram revealed a left calcified temporoparietal tumor. Because of pulmonary embolism it was decided to refute a cerebral biopsy. The patient also declined radiotherapy. In May 1983, a thorough workup revealed an incomplete fracture of the first lumbar vertebra and a diffuse demineralization of the rachis and pelvis. Four weeks later she developed temporal epilepsy and pulmonary embolism. A whole brain irradiation (60 Gy) was performed in August 1983. The patient's condition remained clinically stable until December 1984 when she was readmitted to hospital with a severe weight loss, diffuse osseous pain and pancytopenia. A bone marrow biopsy from the iliac crest showed a diffuse tumor involvement. Peroxidase-antiperoxidase staining using monoclonal antiserum to glial fibrillary acidic protein was strongly positive in numerous tumors cells. The pathological diagnosis was bone marrow metastasis by glioma. She died in March 1985, 4 years and 3 months after the first admission to hospital. Autopsy was not performed. A literature search reveals only 9 cases of extraneural spreading of astrocytomas and glioblastomas in the absence of previous craniotomy with post-mortem examination. The authors also comment on the clinical, pathological and histogenic aspects of extraneural metastasis of gliomas.

Two cases of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (P X A) of young subjects (Kepes et al., 1979) are reported. Case 1 arose in 15-year-old boy admitted to the hospital with the complaint of severe headaches associated with nausea and vomiting of 1 month's duration. Computed tomographic scans showed a large well-defined low density area in the left temporo-parietal region of which an anterior portion was enhanced by contrast medium. Craniotomy revealed a large superficial and cystic tumor with a mural nodule. Histological and immunohistochemical features were those of a P X A confirmed by an electron microscopic study. No radiotherapy was given. The patient made a complete recovery, and 32 months later was asymptomatic. Case 2, a 17-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital in 1977. He presented with seizures that started 18 months prior to surgery. Carotid and humeral angiograms and air studies indicated the presence of a right, internal temporal mass with herniation. The craniotomy revealed a firm superficial tumor with an infratentorial, extraparenchymal extension. The histological diagnosis was giant cell glioblastoma or gliosarcoma. The patient received post-operative radiation of 5.500 rads and chemotherapy (CCNU and VM 26). He died on the 7th post-operative month. In this 2nd case, the diagnosis of P X A was made retrospectively based upon histological and immunohistochemical observations similar to case 1. We are aware of 24 P X A in the literature. In their clinical and histological features these neoplasms resemble closely each other. P X A are superficial, supratentorial astrocytomas occurring in youngs subjects (ages 3 to 32). Their typical microscopic structure include a marked cellular pleomorphism with bizarre giant cells, some mitotic figures and no necrosis. Many cells contain lipid and hyalin droplets in their cytoplasm. Characteristically, the tumoral stroma contain a very rich reticulin fiber network. Immunoperoxidase technique reveal glial fibrillary acidic protein in the tumor cells. Electron microscopic studies demonstrate abundant intracytoplasmic glial filaments. Individual cells or group of cells are surrounded by a prominent basal lamina. Some hemidesmosomes or primitive attachments are seen at the margins of the tumor cells. The biological behaviour of PXA with or without radiotherapy is relatively favorable. Long survival times (up to 25 years) are reported but in 5 cases, P X A follow a less favorable course with malignant transformation and death. Morphologic and immunohistochemical studies support the subpial astrocytic origin of P X A.

On the basis of studies utilizing antibody to GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) in the indirect immunofluorescent and immunoperoxydase methods we report the presence of GFAP in 5 astrocytomas, 1 ependymoma and 1 medulloblastoma. The GFAP was evidenced on cryostat sections of frozen material and in short-term tissue culture. Five others tumors including 1 oligodendrocytoma, 1 choroid-plexus papilloma, 1 meningioma and 2 secondary sarcomas were negative. Possible applications of antibodies to GFAP for localization and therapy of brains tumors were considered.

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA) was assayed in nerve-tumour extracts and located in these tumours by indirect immunofluorescence study. We conclude that GFA is a specific marker of both malignant and normal astrocytes. Non-astrocytic tumours (oligodendroglioma, meningioma) do not contain GFA. Tumours with astrocytic differentiation potential (medulloblastoma) may contain GFA. Comparison of microscopic and GFA assays leads us to conclude that GFA concentration is proportional to the amount of malignant astrocytes in the tumour and inversely proportional to the necrotic area of a tumour. Normal tissue GFA and glioblastoma GFA were found to be immunologically identical.