[Heterogenous immune reactivity in brain tumors: results of cellular immunity in relation to brain tissue antigens]

In brain tumors and other neurological diseases cell-mediated immune reactions to fetal brain tissue antigens (FBA), normal tissue antigen of adult brain (NTA) and tumor-associated antigens of different brain tumors (TAA) have been analysed. The detection of sensitized lymphocytes using the MEM-(macrophage-electrophoretic-mobility-) test revealed general tumor-related results applying the FBA, in some extent a cross reactivity and partly no kind of reaction. A phase-specific reactivity to normal brain antigens could not be found, only cases of multiple sclerosis produced restrictive results employing the NTA. By testing tumor-associated brain antigens different reaction types were seen: The common TAA caused a tumor-characteristic reaction; the histo-specific TAA predominantly presented a organotypic form of reaction, confined a histo-specific reaction pattern; in some cases there were found inadequate, non-corresponding reactions as well as unreactivity. With regard to different types of reaction the problems of heterogeneity of the brain tumors and the cellular immune response--i.e. a heterogeneity of 1. or 2. order--were discussed including further factors concerning several special conditions in the nervous system.