Neuropeptides in gliomas: identification of somatostatin 14 in a medulloblastoma

Forty nine gliomas were analysed for the following neuropeptides: somatostatin (SS), substance P (SP), neurotensin (NT) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and the pituitary peptide, adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH). A significant amount of authentic SS was found in a medulloblastoma, and low concentrations of SP and NT immunoreactivity in an ependymoma and cerebellar astrocytoma respectively. The majority of the other gliomas did not contain detectable levels of these five neuropeptides. Low levels of neuropeptides were found in some specimens probably due to contamination with cerebral cortex.