MYELOID MICROVESICLES ARE A MARKER AND THERAPEUTIC TARGET FOR NEUROINFLAMMATION

n/

Fluorescein-Guided Surgery for Resection of High-Grade Gliomas: A Multicentric Prospective Phase II Study (FLUOGLIO)

Purpose: Sodium fluorescein is a dye that, intravenously injected, selectively accumulates in high-grade glioma (HGG) tissue through a damaged blood-brain barrier. In this article, the final results of a multicentric prospective phase II trial (FLUOGLIO) on fluorescein-guided HGG resection through a dedicated filter on the surgical microscope were reported. Methods: Patients with suspected HGGs considered suitable for removal were eligible to participate in this trial. Fluorescein was intravenously injected at a dose of 5 to 10 mg/kg. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with histologically confirmed HGGs, without contrast-enhancing tumor at the immediate postoperative MRI. Secondary endpoints were PFS, residual tumor on postoperative MRI, overall survival, neurologic deficits, and fluorescein-related toxicity. The sensitivity and specificity of fluorescein in identifying tumor tissue were estimated by fluorescent and nonfluorescent biopsies at the tumor margin. The study was registered on the European Regulatory Authorities website (EudraCT 2011-002527-18). Results: Fifty-seven patients aged 45 to 75 years were screened for participation, and 46 were considered for primary and secondary endpoints. Mean preoperative tumor volume was 28.75 cm(3) (range, 1.3-87.8 cwebsite). Thirty-eight patients (82.6%) underwent a complete tumor removal. Median follow-up was 11 months. PFS-6 and PFS-12 were 56.6% and 15.2%. Median survival was 12 months. No adverse reaction related to SF administration was recorded. The sensitivity and specificity of fluorescein in identifying tumor tissue were respectively 80.8% and 79.1%. Conclusions: Fluorescein-guided technique with a dedicated filter on the surgical microscope is safe and enables a high percentage of contrast-enhancing tumor in patients with HGGs. (C) 2017 AACR

Optic atrophy plus phenotype due to mutations in the OPA1 gene: Two more Italian families

Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy (ADOA) is characterized by the selective degeneration of retinal ganglion cells. The occurrence of mutations in the gene encoding the dynamin-like GTPase protein Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1) has been observed in about 60–70% of ADOA cases. A subset of missense mutations, mostly within the GTPase domain, has recently been associated with a syndromic ADOA form called “OPA1 plus” phenotype presenting, at muscle level, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) instability