Immunocytochemical evidence of SV 40-related T antigen in two human brain tumours of ependymal origin.

A series of thirty-time human brain tumours has been screened for the presence or absence of SV 40-related T antigen by the direct and indirect immunoperoxidase techniques. Two tumours (an ependymoma and a choroid plexus papilloma) of ependymal origin revealed markedly positive nuclear staining for T antigen both in in vivo and in vitro. The possible viral etiology of these human brain tumours is discussed in relation to recent human papovavirus isolates.