title: Human von Willebrand factor (factor VIII-related antigen) in glial neoplastic cells of brain gliomas.
abstract: In order to determine whether the glial neoplastic cells within the brain gliomas show human von Willebrand factor (factor VIII-related antigen [FVIII-rA]) expression, and the possible distribution of FVIII-rA positive glial cells within the neoplasm, morphological examination and computerised morphometric analysis were conducted in 35 brain neoplasms, divided into 2 groups: glioblastoma multiforme (15 cases) and astrocytoma II (20 cases). Only in glioblastomas was the expression of FVIII-rA within the glial neoplastic cells found to be significantly higher than in background. The groups of FVIII-rA positive glial cells were usually found near the vascular glomeruloid structures. On the basis of the examination, the following conclusions were drawn: at least a part of the glial neoplastic cells within the glioblastoma multiforme may present expression of FVIII-rA; lack of FVIII-rA expression in the glial cells of astrocytomas II suggests that the activity of FVIII-rA within these cells is connected with the malignancy of gliomas; the role of FVIII-rA positive glial cells remains unknown, but the tendency to location near the vascular glomeruloid structures of glioblastomas might suggest their potential functional connection with endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. nowacprz@sci.pam.szczecin.pl
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nowacki
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabaka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D046508:Culture Techniques; D003720:Densitometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D014841:von Willebrand Factor