GLIAL TUMORAL PROLIFERATION INDUCES CHANGES IN THE STATE AND PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF WATER DURING ENU-INDUCTION OF BRAIN-TUMORS IN RATS

Modifications of water state were analyzed during ethylnitrosourea-ind uction of brain tumor in rats. Four different steps were identified in the cancerization process according to NMR and histological findings. Two analogies were observed in the pattern of 'bound' water at decrea sing temperatures: first the pattern was similar in tumor area and whi te matter, second the pattern was similar in the same area of normal b rain tissue and cortical gray matter. This phenomenon, which corrobora tes previous reports on liver cancerization, points out that pathologi cal proliferation of glial cells, and their progressive organization i nto multiple layers, is accompanied by a transformation of water prope rties at the cellular level.