Glycolipids and myelin proteins in human oligodendrogliomas

We studied myelin proteins and glycolipids in 24 human oligodendrogliomas (16 pure, eight mixed), including two grade I, 13 grade II, five grade III, and four grade IV. Tumours with a 1b ganglioside content (GD1b, GT1b and GQ1b) over 30% of total gangliosides occur more frequently in the WHO grade I and II (47%) and grade III (40%) than in the grade IV (25%) group; there was no difference in the amounts of total ganglioside or individual gangliosides between pure and mixed oligodendrogliomas. The presence of 6'-LM1 correlated with higher grades of tumours (chi 2 P approximately 0.02); however, 3'-LM1 and total neolacto-series gangliosides did not correlated with grade. Immunohistochemical studies of oligodendrocyte and myelin markers (GalCer, sulfatide, 2',3' -cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, myelin basic protein and proteolipid protein) using specific antibodies showed only a very small proportion of tumour cells staining. These data do not support the hypothesis that tumours classified as oligodendrogliomas are derived from mature oligodendrocytes.