Genetic predisposition to altered blood cell homeostasis is associated with glioma risk and survival.

Glioma is a highly fatal and heterogeneous brain tumor with few known risk factors. Our study examines genetically predicted variability in blood cell indices in relation to glioma risk and survival in 3418 cases and 8156 controls. We find that increased platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) confers an increased risk of glioma (odds ratio (OR) = 1.

Deep learning MRI models for the differential diagnosis of tumefactive demyelination versus -wildtype glioblastoma.

Background And Purpose: Diagnosis of tumefactive demyelination can be challenging. The diagnosis of indeterminate brain lesions on MRI often requires tissue confirmation via brain biopsy. Noninvasive methods for accurate diagnosis of tumor and non-tumor etiologies allows for tailored therapy, optimal tumor control, and a reduced risk of iatrogenic morbidity and mortality.

Switching Drivers: Epigenetic Rewiring to Genetic Progression in Glioma.

IDH-mutant low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are slow-growing brain tumors that frequently progress to aggressive high-grade gliomas that have dismal outcomes. In a recent study, Wu and colleagues provide critical insights into the mechanisms underlying malignant progression by analyzing single-cell gene expression and chromatin accessibility across different tumor grades. Their findings support a two-phase model: in early stages, tumors are primarily driven by oligodendrocyte precursor-like cells and epigenetic alterations that silence tumor suppressors like CDKN2A and activate oncogenes such as PDGFRA.

TBK1 Targeting Is Identified as a Therapeutic Strategy to Enhance CAR T-Cell Efficacy Using Patient-Derived Organotypic Tumor Spheroids.

Novel therapeutic strategies are needed to improve the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells as a treatment of solid tumors. Multiple tumor microenvironmental factors are thought to contribute to resistance to CAR T-cell therapy in solid tumors, and appropriate model systems to identify and examine these factors using clinically relevant biospecimens are limited. In this study, we examined the activity of B7-H3-directed CAR T cells (B7-H3.

One-quarter of freshwater fauna threatened with extinction.

Freshwater ecosystems are highly biodiverse and important for livelihoods and economic development, but are under substantial stress. To date, comprehensive global assessments of extinction risk have not included any speciose groups primarily living in freshwaters. Consequently, data from predominantly terrestrial tetrapods are used to guide environmental policy and conservation prioritization, whereas recent proposals for target setting in freshwaters use abiotic factors.