Cell kinetic analysis of human brain tumors by bivariate flow cytometric measurement of cellular DNA content and amount of incorporated bromodeoxyuridine

Cell kinetics of 91 human brain tumors obtained from 88 patients were analyzed with the following two methods, 1) bivariate (two-color) flow cytometric measurement of cellular DNA content and amount of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporated into cellular DNA, in 66 specimens, 2) immunohistochemical detection of BrdU incorporated S-phase cells, in 34 specimens. Patients were given an intravenous 1 hour infusion of 200 mg/sq. m. of BrdU 1-2 hours before the surgical removal. The excised tumor specimen was divided into several portions. One was fixed with 70% ethanol and embedded in paraffin, and another was digested mechanically and/or chemically to obtain a single cell suspension, and fixed in 70% ethanol. Paraffin-embedded tissue sections were stained by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunohistochemical method using anti-BrdU monoclonal antibody (MoAb). Single cell suspensions were reacted with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated anti-BrdU MoAb, or anti-BrdU MoAb and FITC-conjugated second antibody successively by the staining with propidium iodide, for flow cytometry (FCM). Rates of S-phase fraction in single cell suspensions calculated by bivariate FCM were correlated well with labeling indexes (LI, i.e. the percentage of BrdU incorporated cells) calculated in tissue sections, but not with the result of analysis of DNA histogram by Dean's method. This discrepancy is probably due to large coefficient value in several samples. Histological malignancy of the tumors was reflected both in the proliferating index (PI, i.e. % S+G2M phase) calculated by bivariate FCM and the LI by immunohistochemical method. PI tended to be high in primitive neuroectodermal tumors and metastatic carcinomas, moderately high in gliomas, and low in benign tumor groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)