Specific Visualization of Glioma Cells in Living Low-Grade Tumor Tissue

BACKGROUND: The current therapy of malignant gliomas is based on surgical resection, radio-chemotherapy and chemotherapy. Recent retrospective case-series have highlighted the significance of the extent of resection as a prognostic factor predicting the course of the disease. Complete resection in low-grade gliomas that show no MRI-enhanced images are especially difficult. The aim in this study was to develop a robust, specific, new fluorescent probe for glioma cells that is easy to apply to live tumor biopsies and could identify tumor cells from normal brain cells at all levels of magnification. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this investigation we employed brightly fluorescent, photostable quantum dots (QDs) to specifically target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) that is upregulated in many gliomas. Living glioma and normal cells or tissue biopsies were incubated with QDs coupled to EGF and/or monoclonal antibodies against EGFR for 30 minutes, washed and imaged. The data include results from cell-culture, animal model and ex vivo human tumor biopsies of both low-grade and high-grade gliomas and show high probe specificity. Tumor cells could be visualized from the macroscopic to single cell level with contrast ratios as high as 1000: 1 compared to normal brain tissue. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The ability of the targeted probes to clearly distinguish tumor cells in low-grade tumor biopsies, where no enhanced MRI image was obtained, demonstrates the great potential of the method. We propose that future application of specifically targeted fluorescent particles during surgery could allow intraoperative guidance for the removal of residual tumor cells from the resection cavity and thus increase patient survival

Paspalum schesslii (Poaceae, Paspaleae), a new species from Mato Grosso (Brazil) with an unusual base chromosome number.

Paspalum schesslii, a new species from the state of Mato Grosso in central-western Brazil, is described and illustrated. The new species is related to P. malmeanum, from central-western Brazil and eastern Bolivia, and Paspalum eucomum, from central Brazil. It comprises shorter plants with leaf blades and racemes shorter than those of the related species, and spikelets having obovate, deciduous upper florets. An unexpected chromosome number 2n = 12 was found in specimens of P. schesslii; thus it differs from both P. malmeanum, which has 2n = 20, and P. eucomum, for which 2n = 30 and 2n = 32 chromosome counts are here reported for the first time. The discovery of a new species having 2n = 12, which often cohabits with diploid populations of the widespread related species, P. stellatum, is consistent with an hypothesis about the hybrid origin of the polyploid cytotypes of P. stellatum having 2n = 32 and 2n = 52 chromosomes. Moreover, such an hybrid origin involving parental species with different base chromosome numbers (x = 6 and x = 10) could also explain the occurrence of 32 chromosomes in P. eucomum, potentially documenting a speciation mechanism that is otherwise unknown in the genus.Fil: Bonasora, Marisa Graciela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pozzobon, Marisa T.. Ministerio da Agricultura Pecuaria e Abastecimento de Brasil. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria; BrasilFil: Honfi, Ana Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Rua, Gabriel Hugo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentin