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R A Morantz

Publications and source records attributed to R A Morantz.

54 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Immunohistologic evaluation of the lymphoreticular infiltrate of human central nervous system tumors.

Forty-five nervous system tumors (9 glioblastomas, 9 meningiomas, 15 assorted primary neural tumors including 3 medulloblastomas, and 12 brain tumors metastatic to the brain were analyzed for their content of lymphocytes, granulocytes, and macrophages. Cell suspensions were prepared by enzymatic digestion; lymphocytes and granulocytes were quantitated by morphology following cytocentrifugation, and macrophages were quantitated by IgG EAC (erythrocyte-antibody-complement) rosette formation. EA (erythrocyte-antibody) adsorption to sections of tumor was employed to determine the distribution of the IgG Fc receptor-positive cells within the tumors and to serve as quality control for selective release of Fc receptor-positive cells by enzyme digestion. The 9 glioblastomas had a mean macrophage content of 41% (range: 5-78%); the 9 meningiomas, 42% (range: 5-80%); the 3 medulloblastomas, 6% (range: 2-15%); and the metastatic tumors, 21% (range: 2-50%). Lymphocyte contents were variable but generally less than 10%. Most tumors contained less than 10% granulocytes. EA adsorption demonstrated that Fc receptor-positive cells were distributed throughout the tumor mass, although different types of patterns were observed. There was an excellent correlation between the percent EAC rosette-positive cells in suspensions and the extent of EA adsorption to the tumor sections. The significance of the study primarily rests in the demonstration that most nervous system tumors contain high numbers of infiltrating host cells, primarily macrophages.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1979

The failure of microglia in normal brain to exhibit mononuclear phagocyte markers.

The origin of brain macrophages or "reactive microglia" has been the subject of considerable controversy. The fundamental question is whether or not there is a morphologically and functionally distinct population of cells, called microglia, which are resident in normal brain and differentiate into macrophages in response to inflammatory stimuli. The present study was performed to determine if any cells in the normal brain have the common markers of mononuclear phagocytes; phagocytosis, IgGFc receptors or macrophage specific antigens. In studies of the newborn and the adult murine brain and adult human brain no cells were detected which had any of those markers, although the highly sensitive marker methods were capable of detecting mononuclear phagocytes in all other tissues where they are known to occur. The results suggest that microglia, if they exist as a distinct cell type, are unrelated to mononuclear phagocytes. Furthermore, they suggest, but do not prove, that all inflammatory macrophages are derived from hematogenous precursors.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Cystic lesions associated with intracranial meningiomas.

Three unusual cases of large, peritumoral cystic lesions associated with intracranial meningiomas are reported. In each case, the cyst caused difficulty in the interpretation of the computed tomogram when the latter was considered as a diagnostic test by itself, but the composite information obtained from the clinical history, cerebral angiography, and a radionuclide brain scan led to the correct preoperative diagnosis. The cyst was extrinsic to the tumor and contained xanthochromic fluid with a high protein content. The cyst wall consisted of brain parenchyma that showed glial cell proliferation (confirmed by the presence of glial fibrillary acidic protein by immunoperoxidase staining).

Aged↗
PubMed1979

Macrophages in experimental and human brain tumors. Part 1: Studies of the macrophage content of experimental rat brain tumors of varying immunogenicity.

Although the presence of lymphoreticular cells within tumors has been recognized for over 100 years, it is only within the last decade that the concept has arisen that standard histological examination techniques may lead to an underestimation of the true extent of tumor infiltration by lymphoreticular cells, and particularly by macrophages. The macrophage content of certain systemic tumors has been correlated with their immunogenicity and growth characteristics. Since the central nervous system is to some extent an "immunologically privileged site" and contains within it specialized reticuloendothelial cells called microglia, the authors determined the macrophage content of three rodent brain-tumor cell lines, and attempted to correlate this macrophage content with their immunogenicity and growth characteristics. Their findings indicate a direct correlation between the immunogenicity and macrophage content of these three neural tumor cell lines.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Macrophages in experimental and human brain tumors. Part 2: studies of the macrophage content of human brain tumors.

The authors have analyzed 47 tumors of the central nervous system (11 glioblastomas, nine meningiomas, three medulloblastomas, 12 assorted primary neural tumors, and 12 brain metastases) for their content of macrophages. Cell suspensions were prepared by enzymatic digestion and macrophages were quantitated by IgGEAC rosette formation. Adsorption of sensitized indicator cells (EA) to sections of tumor was used as a measure to determine the distribution of IgGFc receptor-positive cells within the tumors and to serve as a control for selective release of IgGFc receptor-positive cells by enzyme digestion. The 11 glioblastomas had a mean macrophage content of 45% (range: 8% to 78%), the nine meningiomas had a mean of 44% (range: 5% to 81%), the three medulloblastomas a mean of 6% (range 2% to 15%), and the metastatic tumors a mean of 24% (range: 4% to 70%). Adsorption of EA demonstrated that IgGFc receptor-positive cells were distributed throughout the tumor mass, although different types of patterns were observed. There was an excellent correlation between the percent of IgGEAC positive cells in suspensions and the extent of EA adsorption to the tumor sections. Compared to systemic neoplasms, most nervous system tumors have a high macrophage content. It is possible that the high macrophage content of brain tumors is related to their immunogenicity, and may be a partial explanation for tha rarity of brain-tumor metastases.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1979

Extraspinal ependymomas. Report of three cases.

Spinal ependymomas may rarely arise from heterotopic ependymal cell clusters and thus occur in an extraspinal location. Presentation of three cases and a review of the literature reveal that these tumors have characteristic radiographic and clinical features. They occur mainly in patients in the third decade of life, and present either in the soft tissue posterior to the sacrum or in the pelvis. In the case of posterior tumors, the patient exhibits a mass which is usually mistaken for a pilonidal cyst. Patients whose tumor is pelvic in location present with sphincter disturbances or dysfunction of the sacral nerve roots. Conventional and computerized tomographic studies will reveal erosion of the sacrum. Myelography will demonstrate an extradural mass indenting the thecal sac from below. The protein in the cerebrospinal fluid will be normal. A combined posterior and anterior approach with the goal of complete tumor removal is the procedure of choice. If this is not feasible, then radiation therapy should be employed. Because of the increased incidence of systemic metastases, the average postoperative survival is approximately 10 years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Serum acute-phase proteins and immunoglobulins in patients with gliomas.

Cellular immune competence was found to be impaired in previous studies of patients with malignant brain tumors. In patients with nonneural tumors, we recently found that serum levels of acute-phase proteins were related to immune status as well as to tumor extent. To determine whether the serum proteins in patients with central nervous system tumors show similar changes, levels of acute-phase proteins (alpha1-acid glycoprotein, alpha1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin, C-reactive protein) and immunoglobulins (immunoglobulins G, M, and A) were assayed in patients with gliomas prior to treatment. Compared to normals, significant increases (p less than 0.001) in the acute-phase proteins were found, and the levels were similar to those in patients with nonneural solid neoplasms. Serum immunoglobulins were not significantly increased in patients with gliomas.

Alpha-Globulins↗
PubMed1978

Immune surveillance and tumors of the nervous system.

The theory of immune surveillance postulates that one function of the immune system is to eliminate small numbers of malignant cells that arise spontaneously within the organism. Although there has been a great deal of both clinical and experimental evidence in favor of thistheory as it applies to general oncology, the question of whether or not such a surveillance system would be effective for tumors arising within the nervous system has never been studied. The young of pregnant rats which had been exposed to the neurocarcinogen ethylnitrosourea (ENU) were divided into control, immunosuppressed, and immunoenhanced groups. These lifetime alterations of the immune system had no effect on the course of nervous system tumor fromation. We believe that the most likely explanation for our results is that the "immunological privilege" of the brain prevents the usual interaction of the neoplasm and the immune system from occurring.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Clinical and pathological study of 24 cases of gliosarcoma.

The authors review the clinical and pathological features of 24 patients with gliosarcoma. The study revealed the following findings. Gliosarcoma occurs more frequently than is indicated in the literature, and in our series was present in 8% of all cases of glioblastoma multiforme. The presenting features are not significantly different from those of glioblastoma multiforme. The lesion often presents itself at surgery as a firm, well circumscribed mass within the temporal lobe, and at surgery it is commonly mistaken for a meningioma. There is an increased likelihood of metastasis compared to that of glioblastoma. The prognosis is no worse than that of glioblastoma, in spite of the addition of sarcomatous elements.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Aneurysms of the petrous portion of the internal carotid artery.

Aneurysms of the petrous portion of the internal carotid artery are rare lesions. One case is reported here and 18 others have been found in the literature. These lesions usually arise in young men who present with auditory dysfunction. The aneurysm is usually discovered as a pulsating purple mass in the middle ear and mistaken for a glomus jugulare tumor. A definitive diagnosis can be made by carotid angiography. Subtraction techniques are very helpful. Carotid ligation or trapping is the treatment of choice.

Adult↗