Elevated nitric oxide levels in childhood brain tumors.
OBJECTIVE
One of the fundamental aspects of nitric oxide (NO) is the regulation of the inflammatory processes involved in neuronal apoptosis. Expressions of NO and NO synthase (NOS) are considered to be involved in brain tissue injuries and brain tumors. The purpose of our study was to investigate the roles of NO and inducible-form NOS (iNOS) in the pathogenesis of brain tumors.


METHODS
NO levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 36 brain tumor patients were detected utilizing the NO-chemiluminescence method. Deparaffinized tissue sections were immunostained for the presence of antibodies against iNOS and for apoptosis using the TUNEL stain. The results were compared with 10 control patients (with epilepsy and hydrocephalus).


CONCLUSIONS
Higher levels of NO and iNOS activities may induce immune responses and neurotoxicities. This preliminary study revealed elevated NO and NOS activities with an increased amount of apoptotic processes in brain tumor tissues, which may indicate the possible roles of NO in the formation of brain tumors.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000209:etiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II