Immunity to transplantable nitrosourea-induced neurogenic tumors. III. Systemic adoptive transfer of immunity

The effect of intravenously injected tumor immune spleen cells on growth of 3 X 10(5) gliosarcoma T9 cells injected intradermally (ID) or intracerebrally (IC) into sublethally irradiated CDF rats was evaluated. Spleen cells from donor rats with sufficient immunity to reject 5 X 10(5) T9 cells inhibited the growth of T9 cells mixed with spleen cells in a ratio of 1:25 and injected ID, but could not act after intravenous transfer. However, donor rats which had rejected increasing T9 challenge doses up to 1 X 10(7) cells produced immune spleen cells which, upon IV transfer, could inhibit growth of ID T9 challenge but not of EB-679, an unrelated glioma, in recipient rats. Rejection of IC T9 challenge was also obtained after IV transfer, in recipients of such "hyperimmune" spleen cells, but was less (60% maximum) than that noted after ID T9 challenge (100% maximum). The removal of B cells from the transferred spleen cells did not affect the results, suggesting that the specific immunity was mediated by T cells. We conclude that the special immunological circumstances of tumors growing in the brain renders them less accessible to rejection by systemically transferred immune cells, but it is nevertheless possible to effect a significant incidence of rejection of syngeneic tumor growth in the brain by the intravenous transfer of hyperimmune spleen cells.

[Malignant intracranial lymphoma--clinical and patho-immunological study]

Clinical and patho-immunological study was made on 15 cases of primary intracranial malignant lymphoma. The average age of the patients was 45.2, however older man suffered more than younger one. Male to female ratio was 3:2. The duration between onset to diagnosis was less than 6 months in 13 cases. The common signs and symptoms were hemiparesis (60%) and signs of intracranial hypertension (45%), followed by disturbance of consciousness, visual disturbances, convulsion and signs of inflammation. The location of the lesions was in parietal lobe (44%), temporal lobe (27.8%), cerebellum (22.2%), brain stem and basal ganglia (18%). Multiple lesions were found in 4 cases. CT scan was the most diagnostic method not only to delineate the location of lesions but also to recognize the biological natures of this condition. The radiosensitivity of this tumor was also confirmed by follow-up CT scans during radiotherapy. Most of the lesions were avascular by carotid angiography, but capillary blush at the tumor site was shown in some cases. Laboratory findings revealed that derangement of gamma globulin in the serum and decline of cellular immunity were demonstrated in many cases. Surgical removal followed by whole skull irradiation was made in all cases except one. Remission of neurological signs and symptoms with disappearance of lesions on CT scan was obtained in 7 cases for one to 9 months. All cases except two survival, died during 3 to 28 months (average: 10.1). Survival rate at one year and 2 years was 35.7% and 14.3% respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Anti-tumor activity of ACNU against malignant glioma--a clinical application of in vitro sensitivity test of chemotherapeutic agent]

In vitro sensitivity test of cultured human malignant glioma cells to ACNU[1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl) methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride] was performed on Falcon 3064 microtestplate. Early culture cells established from 10 clinical cases were examined by means of this method and the correlation between in vitro response and clinical response of tumor to ACNU was studied. In microtestplate assay, it was defined as ACNU sensitive when the tumor growth showed more than 60% suppression when tumor was cultured in the medium which contained 40 meg/ml of ACNU. Clinical responses were evaluated by means of CT scan, being divided into 4 classes, PR (partial response), CR (complete response), NC (no change) and PD (progressive disease). The former two groups were regarded as responder and the latter two as nonresponder. The correlationship between in vitro response and clinical response was higher in resistant group (100%) than in the sensitive group (60%), so the resistant tumor can be checked with this method. For this reason, the use of this assay may prove helpful in the selection of the chemotherapeutic agents.

Sensitivity to 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU) of glioma cells in vivo and in vitro

A new water-soluble nitrosourea (ACNU) was tested for its antitumor activity against four glioma cell lines. Four factors were studied to determine its antitumor activity: inhibition of cell growth, morphologic observation, analysis of DNA histogram with flow microfluorometry, and sensitivity testing with microtest plate. Growth inhibition in response to ACNU was seen in two cell lines (EA285, U251-MG), whereas two cell lines (YE2-02, T98) were resistant to ACNU. The results of the present sensitivity test concur with those of other examinations that this test is useful in selecting a drug and determining the effective dose.

Brain metastasis of choriocarcinoma

Twenty-four patients with histologically verified brain metastasis of choriocarcinoma were analyzed regarding autopsy and operative findings, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, method of treatment, and prognosis. The autopsy incidence of brain metastasis was 66.7% in patients with choriocarcinoma, and the predominance of single brain lesions was confirmed. Most of the metastatic lesions were hemorrhagic. The hemorrhages were intratumoral, peritumoral, and/or subarachnoid. These findings were well correlated with the findings on computed tomographic (CT) scans and the acute onset with rapid progression of symptoms. The history of molar pregnancy, measurements of urinary chorionic gonadotropin, and findings on CT scans were diagnostic. Surgical removal of the lesion followed by chemotherapy combined with irradiation is the treatment of choice in patients with progressive neurological deterioration in whom chemotherapy alone is ineffective.

Effects of long-term administration of ambenonium chloride on motor end-plate fine structure and acetylcholine receptor in rat

Ambenonium chloride was administered orally in a dosage of 6 mg/kg/day to rats for 14-360 days. Motor end-plate fine structure and junctional AChR were quantitatively analyzed and red (soleus) and white (EDL) muscle fibers. In treated animals, degeneration and simplification of postsynaptic folds and widening of synaptic clefts were often observed in soleus end-plates, but infrequently in EDL end-plates. On the other hand, the postsynaptic AChR was reduced markedly in both soleus and EDL end-plates. No presynaptic changes were observed. These results show that long-term administration of Anti-ChE agents in myasthenia gravis may have an adverse effect on neuromuscular transmission.

Unilateral germinomas involving the basal ganglia and thalamus

Clinical characteristics of six cases of germinoma involving a unilateral basal ganglion and thalamus are summarized. The incidence was estimated as 10% of all intracranial germinomas. The average age at the onset was 10.5 years. The sex incidence showed a male dominance. The clinical course was slowly progressive, and the average duration between onset and diagnosis was 2 years 5 months. Common symptoms and signs were hemiparesis in all cases, fever of unknown origin and eye symptoms in most, mental deterioration and psychiatric signs in three, and convulsions, pubertas praecox, and diabetes insipidus in two. Signs of increased intracranial pressure were found in only two cases in the later state of the disease. Early diagnosis is difficult because of nonspecific symptomatology and slow progression. Carotid angiography and pneumoencephalography showed abnormal findings compatible with basal ganglia and thalamic tumors, but not specific to germinoma. Ipsilateral cortical atrophy and ventricular dilatation might be significant findings. Radioisotope scanning was useful. Computerized tomography scans were the best method of detecting the location and nature of this tumor, and repeat scans showed response to radiation therapy.

Serum factor blocks neuromuscular transmission in myasthenia gravis: electrophysiologic study with intracellular microelectrodes

We studied the effects of normal and myasthenic sera on the miniature endplate potential (MEPP) and resting membrane potential (RP) of rat muscle in vitro by conventional intracellular microelectrode techniques. Normal sera had little or no effect on either the amplitude or frequency of MEPP or RP. On the other hand, MEPP amplitude was reduced in each of nine muscles during exposure to myasthenic sera; five of these muscles showed a significant difference, by student's t-test, from the values in a control solution. The half decay time of diminished MEPP remained unchanged. MEPP frequency and RP were not affected by myasthenic sera. The reduced amplitude of the MEPP was almost completely restored when the muscle was washed with a control solution for more than 30 minutes. These observations indicate that myasthenic sera contain factors that bind reversibly with the acetylcholine receptor and reduce postsynaptic responses to acetylcholine.