Plasminogen activator activity and molecular weight patterns in human brain tumors.

Fresh human brain-tumor samples were assayed for their plasminogen activator (PA) content. Specific molecular weight patterns were identified for each of five common brain tumors and for normal brain, suggesting a cell-specific origin of the various PA forms. Malignant tumors contained higher PA activity and a larger number of molecular weight patterns than benign tumors, with the exception of acoustic neurinomas. Irradiated tumors contained lower PA activity than nonirradiated tumors. Finally, a slight but definite correlation between brain edema and PA activity was detected. The future role of brain-tumor PA's for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes is discussed.