Cytochrome C as a potential clinical marker for diagnosis and treatment of glioma.

Gliomas are the most prevalent kind of malignant and severe brain cancer. Apoptosis regulating mechanisms are disturbed in malignant gliomas, as they are in added forms of malignancy. Understanding apoptosis and other associated processes are thought to be critical for understanding the origins of malignant tumors and designing anti-cancerous drugs for the treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the variation in the expression level of several apoptotic proteins that are responsible for apoptosis in low to high-grade glioma. This suggests a significant change in the expression of five apoptotic proteins: Clusterin, HSP27, Catalase, Cytochrome C, and SMAC. Cytochrome C, one of the five substantially altered proteins, is a crucial component of the apoptotic cascade. The complex enzyme Cytochrome C is involved in metabolic pathways such as respiration and cell death. The results demonstrated that Cytochrome C expression levels are lower in glioma tissues than in normal tissues. What's more intriguing is that the expression level decreases with an increase in glioma grades. As a result, the discovery shows that Cytochrome C may be a target for glioma prognostic biomarkers.

Anterior Clival Defect with Primary CSF Rhinorrhea: A Case Report.

Spontaneous (nontraumatic, nonsurgical) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea constitute only 3-4% of all cases. Here, we present a case of a 66-year-old male who presented with spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea, where intraoperative findings revealed an anterior clival defect as the cause. Such cases are extremely rare, and to the best of our knowledge only five of such cases are described in the literature. In this report, we discuss the possible etiology and management of this rare condition.

Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Reveal Galectin-3 Binding Protein as Potential Biomarker for Early Detection of Glioma.

Gliomas are the most common type of the malignant brain tumor, which arise from glial cells. They make up about 40% of all primary brain tumors and around 70% of all primary malignant brain tumors. They can occur anywhere in the central nervous system (CNS) and have a poor prognosis. The average survival of glioma patients is approximately 6-15 months with poor aspects of life. In this edge, identification of proteins secreted by cancer cells is of special interest because it may provide a better understanding of tumor progression and provide early diagnosis of the diseases. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were isolated from pooled plasma of healthy controls (n=03) and patients with different grades of glioma (Grade I or II or III, n=03 each). Nanoparticle tracking analysis, western blot, and flow cytometry were performed to determine the size, morphology, the concentration of glioma-derived vesicles and EV marker, CD63. Further, iTRAQ-based LC-MS/MS analysis of EV protein was performed to determine the differential protein abundance in extracellular vesicles across different glioma grades. We further verified galectin-3 binding protein (LGALS3BP) by ELISA in individual blood plasma and plasma-derived vesicles from control and glioma patients (n=40 each). Analysis by Max Quant identified 123 proteins from the pooled patient exosomes, out of which 34, 21, and 14 proteins were found to be differentially abundant by more than 1.3-fold in the different grades of glioma grade I, pilocytic astrocytoma; grade II, diffuse astrocytoma; grade III, anaplastic astrocytoma, respectively, in comparison with the control samples. A total of seven proteins-namely, CRP, SAA2, SERPINA3, SAA1, C4A, LV211, and KV112-showed differential abundance in all the three grades. LGALS3BP was seen to be upregulated across the different grades, and ELISA analysis from individual blood plasma and plasma-derived extracellular vesicles confirmed the increased expression of LGALS3BP in glioma patients (p<0.001). The present study provides LGALS3BP as a potential biomarker for early detection of glioma and improve survival outcome of the patient. The present study further provides the information of progression and monitoring the tumor grades (grade 1, grade II, grade III).

Exploring the role of epidermal growth factor receptor variant III in meningeal tumors.

Meningioma is the second most common type of intracranial brain tumor. Immunohistochemical techniques have shown prodigious results in the role of epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFR vIII) in glioma and other cancers. However, the role of EGFR vIII in meningioma is still in question. This study attempt the confer searches for the position attained by EGFR vIII in progression and expression of meningioma. Immunohistochemistry technique showed that EGFR vIII is highly expressed in benign tumors as compared to the atypical meningioma with a highly significant p-value (p<0.05). Further analysis by flow cytometry results supported these findings thus presented high intensity of EGFR vIII in low grades of meningioma. The study revealed that the significant Ki 67 values, to predictor marker for survival and prognosis of the patients. Higher expression of EGFR vIII in low grades meningiomas as compared to high-grade tumors indicate towards its oncogenic properties. To our knowledge, limited studies reported in literature expressing the EGFR vIII in meningioma tumors. Hence, Opinions regarding the role that EGFR vIII in tumorigenesis and tumor progression are clearly conflicting and, therefore, it is crucial not only to find out its mechanism of action, but also to definitely identify its role in meningioma.

How I do it? Endoscopic discectomy using a new trocar "Endospine Plus" for lumbar prolapsed intervertebral disc.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic spine surgery is a promising minimally invasive technique and use of trocars like Metrx (Neurosurgery 51(5):S129-36, 2002), Destandau (Neurol Res 21:39-42, 1999), and Easy go (Acta Neurochir (Wien) 151:1027­33, 2009) has revolutionized this field. However, the steep learning curve makes this procedure elusive to many parts of the world. METHODS: The authors describe the technique of pure endoscopic discectomy using a specialized trocar devised by the senior author "Endospine Plus" which makes the technique easy to learn along with the advantages and complications of the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic lumbar discectomy is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of prolapsed intervertebral disc.

Transdural herniated lumbar disc disease with muscle patch for closure of durotomy - A Brief review of literature.

PURPOSE: Intradural migration of disc (IDMD) is a rare clinical entity accounting for 0.27-0.33% of all herniated disc diseases. Flimsy or dense adhesion between the ventral dural surface and the opposing posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) is the principal pathology for intradural migrated disc. The most commonly affected lumbar segments are L4-5 (55%), L3-4 (16%), L5-S1 (10%) and less commonly L2L3 and L1L2. No imaging feature is characteristic and the management protocol of durotomy via an endoscopic method is unclear. METHODS: An L5S1 disc disease was operated by endoscopic method. Difficulty in separating the dural sac from PLL, dense adhesions prompting sharp dissection at this location and a calcified disc are the earliest evidence of intradural migration. MRI features of an intradural location are loss of continuity of posterior longitudinal ligament, beak-like appearance also known as "Hawk-beak sign", peripheral enhancement around an intradural disc, fluid-filled intradural cyst. Magnification either by Microscope or Endoscope is of importance when dissecting the intradural disc so as to avoid the nerve root injury. Liberal use of fibrin glue and augmentation with muscle patch was performed. RESULTS: Ambulated by 48h and discharged by 5th day. Two and 9 months follow up showed no evidence of pseudomeningocoele. CONCLUSION: Autologous muscle patch with fibrin glue for dural rent closure is a simple and effective method which can be performed by endoscopic or minimally invasive approaches. Suturing the dura, being a tedious and cumbersome procedure can be avoided.

A unique case of concomitant intra and extracranial Hansen's disease.

Leprosy is a debilitating disease that usually involves the peripheral branches of the cranial nerves leading to anesthetic/hypoesthetic skin lesions and thickened peripheral nerves. However, the involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) is extremely rare. To the best of the author's knowledge, the involvement of the cranial nerve nuclei by leprosy has not been reported in the literature and the present case is the first report of involvement of the facial nerve nuclei by leprosy.

Late onset leptomeningeal and whole spine metastasis from supratentorial Glioblastoma multiforme: An uncommon manifestation of a common tumor.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common and aggressive primary brain tumors, composing 12-20% of all the intracranial tumors in adults with a highly malignant course and average life expectancy of approximately 12-14 months following initial diagnosis. Leptomeningeal or intramedullary metastasis from primary GBM is a rare phenomenon with a poor prognosis. We present a rare case of GBM with late onset intramedullary, extramedullary, as well as leptomeningeal spinal metastasis.

Intracranial periventricular supratentorial intraparenchymal schwannoma.

BACKGROUND: Intraparenchymal schwannomas in the central nervous system are very rare. Because most of these are benign, complete excision is the treatment of choice. Further, their radiological findings are difficult to differentiate from glioma. Because Schwann cells are not indigenous to cerebral parenchyma, a lot of speculation has been attached to their origin. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report one such rare case of a 17-year-old male who presented to us with a history of headache and vomiting. Neuroradiological findings were suggestive of left temporoparietal solid cystic lesion with enhancement of solid component, suggestive of high grade glioma. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative impression was that of a low-grade glioma but histopathological features were represented as schwannoma.