Vimentin and glial fibrillary acidic protein in human brain tumors

Using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) technique, we examined 35 primary brain tumors for expression of vimentin and GFAP. Both low-grade and high-grade astrocytomas contained vimentin-positive and GFAP-positive cells. Ependymomas also stained for both markers. In gliosarcomas, the glioblastomato...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of neuro-oncology Vol. 3; no. 1; p. 35
Main Authors Yung, W K, Luna, M, Borit, A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.01.1985
Subjects
Astrocytoma - pathology
Brain - pathology
Brain Neoplasms - pathology
Cerebellar Neoplasms - pathology
Ependymoma - pathology
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - metabolism
Glioma - pathology
Humans
Immunoenzyme Techniques
Medulloblastoma - pathology
Meningeal Neoplasms - pathology
Meningioma - pathology
Oligodendroglioma - pathology
Vimentin - metabolism
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Summary:Using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) technique, we examined 35 primary brain tumors for expression of vimentin and GFAP. Both low-grade and high-grade astrocytomas contained vimentin-positive and GFAP-positive cells. Ependymomas also stained for both markers. In gliosarcomas, the glioblastomatous portions stained like astrocytomas, while only vimentin stain was seen in the fibrosarcomatous portions. Medulloblastomas and oligodendrogliomas were negative for both vimentin and GFAP, while meningiomas contained scattered areas of vimentin-positive cells. These results suggest that the expression of vimentin and GFAP is mostly confined to glial-derived tumors, and that vimentin can potentially be a useful marker for distinguishing undifferentiated GFAP-negative glial tumors and mesenchymal tumors from primitive neuroectodermal tumors.
ISSN:0167-594X
1573-7373
DOI:10.1007/BF00165169