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Histochemical study of acid phosphatase activity in cerebral tumors

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Summary

The distribution and localization of acid phosphatase activity have been studied in 58 biopsies of cerebral tumors and peritumoral cortex. Hexazonium pararosanilin method with alpha-naphthyl-phosphate and naphthol AS-TR as substrates has been employed.

The enzyme activity may be amorphous, granular or globular in the different cell elements. Its intensity in cerebral tumors appears to be generally in relation with the degenerative occurrences rather than with single cytotypes. The higher values reached in anaplastic tumors are to be put in relation with their frequent regressive changes. The most intense activity is observed in the reactive gliomesodermic cells of cerebral abscesses; in a case of reticulum-cell-sarcoma a characteristic distribution pattern of acid phosphatase is present.

Because of their lysosomal nature, the structures stained with acid phosphatase method give at the same time PAS-positive reaction and autofluorescence.

Zusammenfassung

Die Verteilung und Lokalisation der Aktivität von saurer Phosphatase wurde an 58 Biopsien von Hirntumoren und Hirnrinde aus der Tumorumgebung untersucht. Die Hexazonium-Pararosanilin-Methode mit Alpha-Naphthyl-Phosphat und Naphthol-AS-TR als Substraten wurden angewendet.

Die Enzymaktivität kann in den verschiedenen Zellelementen amorph, granulär oder globulär sein. In Hirntumoren erscheint ihre Intensität allgemein eher in Beziehung zu degenerativen Veränderungen als mit bestimmten Zelltypen zu stehen. Die hohen, in anaplastischen Tumoren erreichten Werte sind mit den häufigen regressiven Veränderungen in Beziehung zu setzen. Die höchste Aktivität ist in reaktiven gliös-mesodermalen Zellen bei Hirnabscessen zu beobachten; in einem Fall von Reticulumzell-Sarkom war ein charakteristisches Verteilungsmuster von saurer Phosphatase vorhanden.

Wegen ihrer Lysosomennatur zeigen die mit saurer Phosphatase-Methoden reagierenden Strukturen auch positive PAS-Reaktion und Autofluorescenz.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinic of Nervous and Mental Diseases, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, Italia

    D. Schiffer, A. Fabiani, G. F. Monticone & G. Gabella

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  1. D. Schiffer
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  2. A. Fabiani
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  3. G. F. Monticone
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  4. G. Gabella
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Schiffer, D., Fabiani, A., Monticone, G.F. et al. Histochemical study of acid phosphatase activity in cerebral tumors. Acta Neuropathol 5, 16–25 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00689159

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