Photoimmuno-Lure Nanoplatform for Enhancing T Cell Expansion in Glioblastoma via Synergistic Treatment of Photodynamic Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibition.

The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) of glioblastoma (GBM) limits the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), primarily due to the absence of cytotoxic T (T) cells. In this study, a photoimmuno-lure nanoplatform is presented that combines amphiphilic photosensitizers (PSs) with Atezolizumab leading to the modulation of the TME of GBM and improvement of the therapeutic efficacy through synergistic photodynamic therapy (PDT). The amphiphilic PSs exhibited four-fold higher GBM specificity, superior photostability, and enhanced singlet oxygen generation efficiency (OΦ: 0.

Acromegaly and the risk of cancer: a nationwide population-based cohort study in Korea.

Introduction: Using a nationwide population-based cohort, we primarily investigated whether overall and site-specific cancer risks are increased in patients with acromegaly.

Patients And Methods: The study included 2382 patients with acromegaly and 11 910 controls aged above 20, from 2006 to 2016. Cox hazards regression analysis was used, adjusting for baseline covariates.

Impact of posterior septectomy on olfaction in endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery.

Background: Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery is widely used to resect pituitary adenomas, yet its impact on olfactory function after resection of the posterosuperior nasal septum remains a concern. To optimize surgical techniques to preserve olfactory function, it is essential to understand the relationship between the extent of septal resection and olfactory outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 295 patients who underwent pituitary adenoma surgery.

Sinonasal Complications of Combined Transseptal-Transnasal and Bilateral Transnasal Approaches for Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery.

Background: The endoscopic combined transseptal-transnasal technique for pituitary adenoma excision is notable for enhanced postoperative functional outcomes. Our study compared the incidence of anterior nasal septal perforation and the resulting sinonasal complications between this method and the bilateral transnasal approach.

Methods: Using a retrospective cohort from a pre-eminent tertiary referral center, we analyzed 141 cases of endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery performed between March 2018 and May 2023.

The Relationship between Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis and Congestive Heart Failure: A Nationwide Longitudinal Cohort Study in Korea.

The aim of this nationwide longitudinal cohort study is to determine the risk of congestive heart failure (CHF) associated with a seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population in Korea. In this study, National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) data from 2002 to 2003 were used. The cohort was followed up with for 12 years until December of 2015.

Clinicopathological analysis of non-functioning pituitary adenomas (PAs) according to the 2022 WHO classification.

Purpose: For asymptomatic non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs), conservative approaches such as observation are preferred. However, some NFPAs exhibit poor prognoses. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate clinicopathological characteristics of tumors for identifying those with unfavorable prognoses.

Delineation of three-dimensional tumor margins based on normalized absolute difference mapping via volumetric optical coherence tomography.

The extent of surgical resection is an important prognostic factor in the treatment of patients with glioblastoma. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging is one of the adjunctive methods available to achieve the maximal surgical resection. In this study, the tumor margins were visualized with the OCT image obtained from a murine glioma model.

Intratumoral IL-12 delivery via mesenchymal stem cells combined with PD-1 blockade leads to long-term antitumor immunity in a mouse glioblastoma model.

Background: Although PD-1 blockade is effective for treating several types of cancer, the efficacy of this agent in glioblastoma is largely limited. To overcome non-responders and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, combinational immunotherapeutic strategies with anti-PD-1 need to be considered. Here, we developed IL-12-secreting mesenchymal stem cells (MSC_IL-12) with glioblastoma tropism and evaluated the therapeutic effects of anti-PD-1, MSC_IL-12, and their combination against glioblastoma.

From lymphopenia to restoration: IL-7 immunotherapy for lymphocyte recovery in glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma, the most prevalent malignant primary brain tumor, presents substantial treatment challenges because of its inherent aggressiveness and limited therapeutic options. Lymphopenia, defined as reduced peripheral blood lymphocyte count, commonly occurs as a consequence of the disease and its treatment. Recent studies have associated lymphopenia with a poor prognosis.

Comprehensive Molecular Genetic Analysis in Glioma Patients by Next Generation Sequencing.

Background: Glioma is caused by multiple genomic alterations. The evolving classification of gliomas emphasizes the significance of molecular testing. Next generation sequencing (NGS) offers the assessment of parallel combinations of multiple genetic alterations and identifying actionable mutations that guide treatment.

Establishment of tumor microenvironment-preserving organoid model from patients with intracranial meningioma.

Background: Although meningioma is the most common primary brain tumor, treatments rely on surgery and radiotherapy, and recurrent meningiomas have no standard therapeutic options due to a lack of clinically relevant research models. Current meningioma cell lines or organoids cannot reflect biological features of patient tumors since they undergo transformation along culture and consist of only tumor cells without microenvironment. We aim to establish patient-derived meningioma organoids (MNOs) preserving diverse cell types representative of the tumor microenvironment.

Human gamma-delta (γδ) T cell therapy for glioblastoma: A novel alternative to overcome challenges of adoptive immune cell therapy.

Glioblastoma is the most common brain malignancy with devastating prognosis. Numerous clinical trials using various target therapeutic agents have failed and recent clinical trials using check point inhibitors also failed to provide survival benefits for glioblastoma patients. Adoptive T cell transfer is suggested as a novel therapeutic approach that has exhibited promise in preliminary clinical studies.

Polymorphisms of Killer Ig-like Receptors and the Risk of Glioblastoma.

Purpose: The immune responses of natural killer (NK) cells against cancer cells vary by patient. Killer Ig-like receptors (KIRs), which are some of the major receptors involved in regulating NK cell activity for killing cancer cells, have significant genetic variation. Numerous studies have suggested a potential association between the genetic variation of KIR genes and the risk of development or prognosis of various cancer types.

Single-center study on clinicopathological and typical molecular pathologic features of metastatic brain tumor.

Background: The metastatic brain tumor is the most common brain tumor. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the clinicopathological and molecular pathologic features of brain metastases (BM).

Methods: A total of 269 patients were diagnosed with BM through surgical resection at Seoul St.

A clinical evaluation of cystic features in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma with IDH-wildtype.

Background: The prognostic significance of the presence of cystic features in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GB) is highly controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cystic GB patients have a more favorable prognosis compared to non-cystic GB patients.

Methods: The records of all GB patients diagnosed between August 2008 and December 2020 at Seoul St.

Compassionate use of recombinant human IL-7-hyFc as a salvage treatment for restoring lymphopenia in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

Purpose: Addressing lymphopenia in cancer patients has been suggested as a novel immunotherapeutic strategy. As interleukin-7 (IL-7) is necessary for proliferation of lymphocytes and to increase total lymphocyte count (TLC), IL-7 therapy has been attempted in various cancers. Here, we describe the clinical results of treatment of recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) with a long-acting engineered version of recombinant human IL-7 (rhIL-7-hyFc).

Human allogenic γδ T cells kill patient-derived glioblastoma cells expressing high levels of DNAM-1 ligands.

Adoptive transfer of γδ T cells is a novel immunotherapeutic approach to glioblastoma. Few recent studies have shown the efficacy of γδ T cells against glioblastoma, but no previous studies have identified the ligand-receptor interactions between γδ T cells and glioblastoma cells. Here, we identify those ligand-receptor interactions and provide a basis for using γδ T cells to treat glioblastoma.

Sinonasal Outcomes of the Combined Transseptal/Transnasal Approach with Unilateral Nasoseptal Rescue Flap in Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Surgery: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

 The authors applied surgical techniques acquired during the use of endoscopic combined transseptal/transnasal approach to reduce approach-related morbidity and improve sinonasal outcomes.  This is a retrospective cohort study of a prospectively collected database.  The study setting involves a tertiary referral center.

Cytomegalovirus-Specific Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma Treatments.

Over the last two decades, numerous studies have investigated the presence of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) within glioblastoma or gliomas; however, the results are severely conflicting. While a few researchers have suggested the potential benefits of cytotoxic T lymphocyte or dendritic cell-based vaccines for recurrent or newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients, several studies did not at all agree with the existence of CMV in glioblastoma cells. In this review, we summarized the conflicting results and issues about the detection of CMV in glioblastoma or glioma patients.

Protective Effect of Human-Neural-Crest-Derived Nasal Turbinate Stem Cells against Amyloid-β Neurotoxicity through Inhibition of Osteopontin in a Human Cerebral Organoid Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

The aim of this study was to validate the use of human brain organoids (hBOs) to investigate the therapeutic potential and mechanism of human-neural-crest-derived nasal turbinate stem cells (hNTSCs) in models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We generated hBOs from human induced pluripotent stem cells, investigated their characteristics according to neuronal markers and electrophysiological features, and then evaluated the protective effect of hNTSCs against amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) neurotoxic activity in vitro in hBOs and in vivo in a mouse model of AD. Treatment of hBOs with Aβ induced neuronal cell death concomitant with decreased expression of neuronal markers, which was suppressed by hNTSCs cocultured under Aβ exposure.

Clinical feasibility of modified procarbazine and lomustine chemotherapy without vincristine as a salvage treatment for recurrent adult glioma.

Procarbazine, lomustine and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy is considered a salvage option for adult glioma; however, its significant toxicities frequently lead to dose reduction or discontinuation in patients with recurrent glioma. The current study evaluated the safety and efficacy of modified procarbazine and lomustine (PC) chemotherapy that omits vincristine and reduces the lomustine dose compared with those of conventional PCV chemotherapy. Using electronic medical records, all patients with adult recurrent glioma who received PC or PCV chemotherapy between 2009 and 2020 at Seoul St.

Changes in the Sphenoid Bone Encountered During the Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Approach.

Objectives: We estimated volume changes in the posterior bony wall of the sphenoid sinus, as well as alterations in nasal function (including olfactory function and subjective symptoms), after sphenoid mucosal repositioning using the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach (EETSA).

Methods: During 2010 and 2021, 13 patients underwent sphenoid mucosal repositioning during EETSA, while 24 patients (the control group) did not. Pre- and postoperative paranasal sinus computed tomography and the Mimics program were used to evaluate three-dimensional changes in the posterior wall of the sphenoid sinus.

HLA polymorphisms and risk of glioblastoma in Koreans.

Purpose: Immune responses for cancer cells can be altered according to genetic variation of human leukocyte antigen (HLA). Association of HLA polymorphism with risk of various cancer types is well known. However, the association between HLA and glioblastoma (GBM) remains uncertain.

Comparative analysis of safety and efficacy in subperiosteal versus subdural drainage after burr-hole trephination for chronic subdural hematoma.

Purpose: The treatment of choice for chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) has been established as burr-hole trephination with drain insertion; however, controversy remains over the best place for the drainage catheter. In this study, we compare the safety and efficacy of a subperiosteal drain (SPD) with that of a subdural drain (SDD) after one burr-hole trephination for CSDH.

Methods: This retrospective and comparative study includes all CSDH patients treated with burr-hole trephination at our institution between January 2015 and December 2019.