Brain tumors astrocytomas

IHC negative for CYPIBI in normal tissue, positive in brain tumor (Murray et al., 1997). Northern blot reveals CYPIBI mRNA in human CNS, highest in putamen RT-PCR confirms CYPIBI in human astrocytoma cells (Rieder et al., 1998). 

Malignant gliomas (astrocytomas) are lethal invasive brain tumors. Invasive cell migration is initiated by extension of pseudopodia into interstitial spaces. In a DIGE technology study (see above), pseudopodia of glioma cells were harvested and their protein profile compared with the profile of whole cells. Increased pseudopodial constituents were identified as actin,... 

A different type of immunoliposome was developed using antinuclear autoantibodies with nucleosome (NS)-restricted specificity [187], Anti-NS mAb 2C5 specifically recognizes human brain tumor cells. Evaluation of immunoliposomes 2C5-PEG-PC/Chol was carried out in nude mice bearing subcutaneous brain tumor (U-87 astrocytoma) and exhibited a threefold higher accumulation in the tumor in comparison to control (IgG-PEG liposomes). 

Brain lesion analysis is also an active area of research. DTI metrics have been found to help differentiate between tumor types and promises to provide a sensitive method for abnormal tissue characterization. Fractional anisotropy has already been found to correlate with the cell density of brain tumors (Beppu et al., 2003 Beppu et al., 2005). The ability of FA to correlate with cell density likely accounts for the sensitivity of FA to tissue typing in brain lesions. Fractional anisotropy has been found to differentiate between low grade and anaplastic astrocytomas, to help differentiate between brain metastasis and high grade gliomas, and there is evidence that FA may help to detect tumor infiltration not visible by conventional MRI (Holmes et al., 2004 Tsuchiya et al., 2005 Goebell et al., 2006). Other DTI metrics have been utilized in brain lesion analysis and the early findings point to the breadth of future possibilities. 

Neuronal brain tumors tend to have better patient prognoses than their glial counterparts (ganglioglioma versus fibrillary astrocytoma). This tendency is enhanced by recent reclassifications of malignant neuronal brain tumors as PNETs. 

Indications for PDT are recurrent malignant brain tumors. Slow growing tumors such as low grade astrocytomas or other benign lesions are not currently indications for PDT or PDD because of a lack of experimental and clinical data. Skull base tumors and pituitary tumors are a good indication for PDD/PDT because they are not protected by the BBB. Most recent case reports also include metastasis, malignant meningeomas and recurrent pituitary tumors. 

Notch. Anaplastic astrocytoma, ependymoma, medulloblastoma, Jag-activated Notch. Click Feletti A et al Brain Tumor Pathol 2014 March 19 in print Fouladi M et al J Neurooncol 2013 114 173-9 Killela PJ et al Oncotarget 2013 Oct 16 in print Mascaro Cordeiro B et al Childs Nerv Syst 2014 Apr 3 in print. 

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