TENASCIN IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID IS A USEFUL BIOMARKER FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN-TUMOR

Tenascin, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, has been reported to b e expressed predominantly on glioma tissue in the CNS, both in a cell associated and an excreted form. Recently, a highly sensitive sandwich type enzyme immunoassay for quantitative determination of tenascin wa s developed. In the present study, the amount of tenascin in CSF was m easured. An increase of tenascin in CSF (>100 ng/ml) was found in pati ents with an astrocytic tumour. The concentration was significantly hi gher (>300 ng/ml) in high grade astrocytoma (anaplastic astrocytoma an d glioblastoma) and a further increase (>1000 ng/ml) was found in case s of CSF dissemination of high grade astrocytoma. On the other hand, t enascin concentrations were less than 100 ng/ml in nonastrocytic tumou rs and non-neoplastic neurological diseases, except meningeal dissemin ation of tumour cells, meningeal stimulation by infection, and subarac hnoid haemorrhage. In cases of treated astrocytomas in remission, tena scin was negligible (<100 ng/ml) in the CSF. The measurement of tenasc in in CSF is useful for differential diagnosis of brain tumours and mo nitoring of astrocytic tumours.