Abstract
Extracts of glioblastomas and meningiomas were analysed by quantitative immunoelectrophoresis for the presence of foetal brain antigens and tumour-associated antigens, and levels of 2 normal brain-specific proteins were also determined. The following antibodies were used: monospecific anti-S-100 (glia specific); monospecific anti-GFA (glial fibrillary acidic protein), (astroglia specific); polyspecific anti-foetal brain (12-16th week of gestation); a polyspecific anti-glioblastoma antiserum, absorbed with insolubilized serum, haemolysate and normal brain extract; polyspecific anti-alpha-foetoprotein; and monospecific anti-ferritin. Using the antibodies raised against the tumours, several antigens not present in foetal or adult normal brain were found in the glioblastomas and the meningiomas. These antigens cross-reacted with antigens present in normal liver and were therefore not tumour-associated. S-100 was found in glioblastomas in approximately one tenth the amount in whole brain homogenate, whereas GFA was found 2-4 times enriched. The 2 proteins were absent in meningiomas. The possible use of the GFA protein as a marker for astroglial neoplasia is discussed. Five foetal antigens were found in foetal brain, but none in the tumours. alpha-Foetoprotein could only be demonstrated in foetal tissue extracts, including foetal brain, but not in tumours. Ferritin was detected in all tumour extracts, although the amounts determined were unrelated to histological tumour type.
Highlights
Summary.-Extracts of glioblastomas and meningiomas were analysed by quantitative immunoelectrophoresis for the presence of foetal brain antigens and tumourassociated antigens, and levels of 2 normal brain-specific proteins were determined
IN recent years, experiments have been The presence or absence of neo-antigens carried out to evaluate the immune associated with the neoplastic transresponse to brain tumours in brain- formation was tested with different antitumour patients (Levy, Mahalay and Day, sera raised in rabbits by injection~s of 1972; Oda, 1974), but few immuno- extracts of glioblastomas and meningiochemical investigations have been pub- mas
The glial fibrillary acidic of the two most common intracranial protein (GFA) (Bignami et al, 1972) is tumours a protein located in the cytoplasm by use of quantitative immunoelectro- of astroglial cells
Summary
Different tumours of identical histology were used to prepare antigens and after bleeding. Three rabbits antigens.-During operations, about 1 g of were immunized with meningioma extracts tissue was saved for immunochemical analy- originating from 2 tumours. The frozen tissue was reduced to powder by antigens covalently linked to Sepharose very fast movements of the metal ball inside using CNBr-activated Sepharose ® purchased the nylon container, which was shaken by the from Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden. The suspension was the antigen preparations used for absorptions centrifuged at 180000 g for 45 min Procedure was used both for the preparation An antiserum specific for human cxof extracts for immunization of rabbits and foetoprotein was purchased from DAKO for immunochemical analysis. Foetal tissues were cent of the content in an extract of whole obtained from abortions at the 12-16th week normal adult brain.
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