Detection of acid mucopolysaccharides in human brain tumors by histochemical methods.

Acid mucopolysaccharides (glycosaminoglycans) are identified by histochemical methods in biopsies of 107 human brain tumors. Isomorphous oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas stained with alcian blue show marked, weblike, or diffuse distribution and concentration of acid mucopolysaccharides. Histochemically, the characteristics of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate are found. They seem to be closely associated with the cytoplasmic membrane of the tumor cells. Increased dedifferentiation and malignancy lead to a progressive loss of alcianophilia. In tumors such as ependymomas, meningiomas, sarcomas, and medulloblastomas, concentration of alcian blue is found only in the blood vessel walls and connective tissue. In neurinomas a greater amount of acid mucopolysaccharides can be shown not only in the collagen fibers but also in tumor areas of the Antoni-B-type. One case of cerebral neuroblastoma revealed marked alcianophilia of the parenchyma and stroma. As with findings in experimental brain tumors, an altered regulation of the carbohydrate metabolism of the glia cells during neoplastic transformation is discussed as a reason for the alcianophilia of gliomas.