Ependymomas constitute no more than 5 to 7% of all primary CNS neoplasm and their biologic behavior is difficult to predict by microscopic appearances. Recently, many studies have attempted to correlate biologic behavior with tumor proliferation index, tumor suppressor gene and oncogene using immunohistochemical stains. We evaluated 25 cases of surgically resected intracranial ependymomas for the proliferation activity using Ki-67, and expression of p53 and bcl-2 protein with regard to the prognosis. The cases were divided into 17 ependymomas (WHO Grade II), 3 papillary ependymomas (WHO Grade II), and 5 anaplastic ependymomas. Clinically, the patients were divided into two groups, recurrent (18 cases) or non-recurrent (7 cases). The Ki-67 proliferation index was significantly higher in the recurrent group (p<0.05) and in the younger ages (correlation index=0.534). Although Ki-67 proliferation index was higher in anaplastic ependymoma, it was not significant statistically (p>0.05). p53 protein expression tended to increase in the patients who had anaplastic ependymoma and in the recurrent group. bcl-2 expression was not correlated with histologic grade or recurrence of the tumor. We conclude that Ki-67 proliferation index and p53 expression are important markers for predicting biologic behavior of ependymoma.
Coloring Agents ; Ependymoma* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Oncogenes ; Prognosis ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries* ; Peripheral Nerves*

No abstract available.
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy*

The origin of the stromal cell of cerebellar hemangioblastoma has long been studied electron microscopically and immunohistochemically. The results and theories about the stromal cell origin are variable and plentiful. However, the exact origin of the stromal cell remains controversial. The present study is aimed to elucidate the nature of the stromal cell of cerebellar hemangioblastoma. Ten cases of hemangioblastoma in Severance Hospital were used for immunohistochemical analysis of the stromal cell. The immunohistochemical staining of GFAP, S-100 protein, NSE, alpha-l-antichymottypsin, cytokeratin, CD 68, factor VIII related antigen, and synaptophysin were performed. The results were as follows; GFAP and S-100 protein were stained mainly but weakly in bellar capillary spindle cell and cellular process. NSE was stained mainly in foam cells, and 6 cases among them revealed strong reaction. ct-l-antichymotrypsin was stained in a few foam cells of 5 cases. Cytokeratin, CD 68, factor VIII related antigen, and synaptophysin showed negative reaction. Based on these results, it is considered that the origin of the stromal cell is histiocytic or neurogenic rather than glial. The weak positivity of GFAP and S-100 protein may support the neurogeriic origin but ct-l-antichymotrypsin positivity does not support the possibility. The positivity of GAP and S-100 protein supports the phagocytic action of histiocytic cell and suggests histiocytic origin rather than neurogenic.

The choroid plexus papilloma is a rare tumor. Its incidence is 0.4-0.6% of all intracranial tumors. Most cases of this tumor are found in the young subject, especially infant and childhood but its congenital form is very rare. The clinical and pathologic findings of congenital choroid plexus papilloma are similar to that of any age. But the cilia on the cell surface are common in the former and very rare in the latter. We present a case of congenital choroid plexus papilloma of the lateral ventricle in a 2 month-old male baby. He had suffered from a sudden onset of convulsions and a drowsy mental state for 2 days. The CT scan revealed a large intraventricular tumor in the left lateral ventricle with hydrocephalus. After ventriculo-peritoneal shunt(V-P shunt), his symptoms were improved. But the hydrocephalus was aggravated due to malfunction of V-P shunt, and he recieved the operation after 4 months. The gross examination revealed a large ovoid papillary tumor(4x3x3cm). On light microscopic examination, the tumor showed papillary structure lined by columnar eosinophilic cells. Some cells had cilia. The electron microscopic finding showed intercellular junction, microvilli and cilia. The tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin, vimentin and S-100 protein.
Infant ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence

It has been claimed that CNS lymphoma, a rare neoplasm accounting for only a small fraction of malignant brain tumors, occurs with increasing frequency in immunologically normal as well as immunocompromised individuals. We investigated the prognostic value of Ki-67 index, p53, and bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in relation to the clinicopathological parameters in the primary CNS lymphoma patients. The tumors were graded by Kiel classification and the Working formulation and included 33 high-grade, 4 intermediate-grade, and 5 low-grade lymphomas. The phenotype was determined in 38 cases: 30 were B cell type and 8 were T cell type. All cases displayed variable degrees of nuclear Ki-67 staining from 1.0% to 92.0% (mean 51.1%). A highly significant correlation was established between the proportion of Ki-67 positive cells and the classification into grades (p=0.0002) and phenotypes (p=0.0002). Overexpression of p53 and bcl-2 protein was found in 37.1% and 51.4% of 35 patients, respectively. And p53 expression was significantly increased in B cell type (p=0.02). On Kaplan-Meier survival curve, the phenotype, grade of tumors, and p53 and bcl-2 protein expression were not correlated with overall survival. On multivariate analyses, overall survival was independently influenced by Ki-67 index. In conclusion, it is suggested that Ki-67 proliferating index is the most important marker for predicting biologic behavior of the primary CNS lymphoma.
Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System* ; Classification ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phenotype

Ovarian carcinoma is a serious disease in women. Some reports revealed all-trans-retinoic acid (tRA) inhibited the proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cell lines and induced apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticancer and apoptotic effects of tRA and the expression of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha, beta, gamma, p53, bcl-2, and c-myc genes on the ovarian carcinoma cell lines, NIH OVCAR3 and SKOV3. In both cell lines, the proliferation of tumor cells was inhibited and characteristic morphologic patterns of apoptosis were shown after treatment of tRA. The number of apoptotic cells and the percentage of apoptosis were increased after treatment of tRA. The gel electrophoresis revealed the DNA ladder pattern in the NIH OVCAR3. Gene expressions were observed using northern blotting. There was no RARalpha expression in both cell lines. In NIH OVCAR3, there was no changes in the expression of RARbeta and bcl-2 gene. The RARgamma gene expression of tRA treated group was slightly increased, but p53 gene expression was decreased, and c-myc gene was not expressed. In SKOV3, the expressions of RARbeta, gamma, and p53 genes were increased and that of bcl-2 was decreased in the tRA treated group. There was no change in c-myc gene expression. These results suggest tRA has anticancer and apoptotic effect on both ovarian carcinoma cell lines. RARbeta, RARgamma, bcl-2, and p53 gene expressions were correlated with these effects of tRA on SKOV3 but not on NIH OVCAR3.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Northern ; Cell Line* ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Genes, myc ; Genes, p53 ; Humans* ; Receptors, Retinoic Acid ; Tretinoin*

Antigen processing (TAP, HLA-DM and LMP) genes map within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II region between the HLA-DQB1 and -DPB1 loci, and are involved in the processing of peptides bound to HLA class I or class II molecules. In order to determine the allele frequencies of antigen processing genes and the various linkage disequilibria existing among these genes, we have analyzed TAP1, TAP2, HLA-DMA, and HLA-DMB, LMP2, LMP7 polymorphisms in 184 unrelated healthy Koreans using the rnethod of PCR-SSCP, ARMS-PCR and PCR-RFLP. The frequencies of antigen processing genes were TAP1A (77.7%), TAP1*B (17.1%), TAP1*C (5.2%), TAP2*A (41.6%), TAP2*B (31.3%), TAP2*C (3.3%), TAP2*D (0.8%), TAP2*E (6.5%), TAP2*G (0.8%), HLA-DMA*0101 (81.5%), HLA-DMA*0102 (18.2%), HLA-DMA*0103 (0.3%), HLA-DMB*0101 (42.9%), HLA-DMB*0102 (19.0%), HLA-DMB*0103 (38.0%), LMP2*R (78.8%), LMP2*H (21.2%), LMP7*A (35.3%), LMP7*B (56.0%), LMP7*C (4.9%), and LMP7*D (3.8%). We also analysed two- locus association among each locus. Many significant positive associations were observed between these two loci, such as between HLA-DMB and TAP1, between HLA-DMA and HLA-DMB, between LMP2 and LMP7, and between TAP1 and LMP7. Conversely, any significant linkage disequilibrium was not detected between HLA-DMB and LMP2. These results could be used as control data for disease association and population genetics studies in Korean population.
Antigen Presentation* ; Gene Frequency ; Genetics, Population ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; Peptides

No abstract available.
Muscular Diseases*

No abstract available.
Thoracic Nerves*