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Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is a circumscribed low-grade astrocytic glioma, generally considered to be associated with a good prognosis. However, a subset of PA patients shows unfavorable outcomes. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed PA patients and performed further molecular analysis, such as DNA methylation profiling, to identify prognostic factors.We analyzed 29 histologically-confirmed PA patients from a single center from 2002 to 2021 and conducted integrated molecular analyses among elderly PA patients since age was an independent prognostic factor for poor outcomes.The median age at diagnosis was 14 years (range 3-82 years) and 4 patients (14%) were elderly (patients ≥ 60 years old). Age over 60 was associated with poor progression-free survival and overall survival. We performed DNA methylation analysis on 2 of the 4 elderly patients. Both cases were histologically diagnosed as PA, but DNA methylation profiling revealed one as high-grade astrocytoma with piloid features (all methylation class scores were below 0.3 in both v11b4 and v12.5) and the other as glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype (score was over 0.5 in both v11b4 and v12.5), using the German Cancer Research Center methylation profiling classifiers and t-SNE analysis.Elderly patients with PA morphology showed unfavorable outcomes in this cohort. In those patients, further molecular analysis and DNA methylation profiling revealed the possibility of high-grade astrocytic tumors, including newly defined entities.

Purpose Effective second‐line chemotherapy options are limited in treating advanced biliary tract cancers (BTCs). Resminostat is an oral histone deacetylase inhibitor. Such inhibitors increase sensitivity to fluorouracil, the active form of S‐1. In the phase I study, addition of resminostat to S‐1 was suggested to have promising efficacy for pre‐treated BTCs. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of resminostat plus S‐1 in second‐line therapy for BTCs. Methods Patients were randomly assigned to receive resminostat or placebo (200 mg orally per day; days 1–5 and 8–12) and S‐1 group (80–120 mg orally per day by body surface area; days 1–14) over a 21‐day cycle. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints comprised overall survival (OS), response rate (RR), disease control rate (DCR), and safety. Results Among 101 patients enrolled, 50 received resminostat+S‐1 and 51 received placebo+S‐1. Median PFS was 2.9 months for resminostat+S‐1 vs. 3.0 months for placebo+S‐1 (HR: 1.154, 95% CI: 0.759–1.757, p = 0.502); median OS was 7.8 months vs. 7.5 months, respectively (HR: 1.049, 95% CI: 0.653–1.684, p = 0.834); the RR and DCR were 6.0% vs. 9.8% and 70.0% vs. 78.4%, respectively. Treatment‐related adverse events (TrAEs) of grade ≥ 3 occurring more frequently (≥10% difference) in the resminostat+S‐1 than in the placebo+S‐1 comprised platelet count decreased (18.0% vs. 2.0%) and decreased appetite (16.0% vs. 2.0%). Conclusions Resminostat plus S‐1 therapy improved neither PFS nor OS for patients with pre‐treated BTCs. Addition of resminostat to S‐1 was associated with higher incidence of TrAEs, but these were manageable (JapicCTI‐183883)., This randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind study investigated the efficacy and safety of resminostat plus S‐1 as a second‐line therapy in patients with BTCs. This was the first randomized study to use S‐1, which is widely used in second‐line treatment for BTC patients in Japan, as an active comparator. The results showed that resminostat plus S‐1 prolonged neither PFS nor OS in comparison with placebo plus S‐1.

We developed a new cranioplasty method that utilizes artificial bone made of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, with a wedge-shaped edge (UHMWPE Wing). This study shows the methods and data of case series and finite element analyses with the UHMWPE Wing. A circumferential wing was preoperatively designed for a custom-made artificial bone made of UHMWPE to achieve high fixed power and to minimize the usage of cranial implants. Here, we present 4 years of follow-up data and finite element analyses for patients treated with the UHMWPE Wing between February 2015 and February 2019. Eighteen consecutive patients underwent cranioplasty using our UHMWPE Wing design. There were no postoperative adverse events in 17 of the patients for at least 18 months. One case of hydrocephalus experienced screw loosening and graft uplift due to shunt malfunction. Placement of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt immediately returned the artificial bone to normal position. Finite element analyses revealed that a model using the UHMWPE Wing had the highest withstand load and lowest deformation. This is the first report on the UHMWPE Wing method. This method may enable clinicians to minimize dead space and achieve high strength in cranioplasty.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal primary brain tumor characterized by significant cellular heterogeneity, namely tumor cells, including GBM stem-like cells (GSCs) and differentiated GBM cells (DGCs), and non-tumor cells such as endothelial cells, vascular pericytes, macrophages, and other types of immune cells. GSCs are essential to drive tumor progression, whereas the biological roles of DGCs are largely unknown. In this study, we focused on the roles of DGCs in the tumor microenvironment. To this end, we extracted DGC-specific signature genes from transcriptomic profiles of matched pairs of in vitro GSC and DGC models. By evaluating the DGC signature using single cell data, we confirmed the presence of cell subpopulations emulated by in vitro culture models within a primary tumor. The DGC signature was correlated with the mesenchymal subtype and a poor prognosis in large GBM cohorts such as The Cancer Genome Atlas and Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas Project. In silico signaling pathway analysis suggested a role of DGCs in macrophage infiltration. Consistent with in silico findings, in vitro DGC models promoted macrophage migration. In vivo, coimplantation of DGCs and GSCs reduced the survival of tumor xenograft-bearing mice and increased macrophage infiltration into tumor tissue compared with transplantation of GSCs alone. DGCs exhibited a significant increase in YAP/TAZ/TEAD activity compared with GSCs. CCN1, a transcriptional target of YAP/TAZ, was selected from the DGC signature as a candidate secreted protein involved in macrophage recruitment. In fact, CCN1 was secreted abundantly from DGCs, but not GSCs. DGCs promoted macrophage migration in vitro and macrophage infiltration into tumor tissue in vivo through secretion of CCN1. Collectively, these results demonstrate that DGCs contribute to GSC-dependent tumor progression by shaping a mesenchymal microenvironment via CCN1-mediated macrophage infiltration. This study provides new insight into the complex GBM microenvironment consisting of heterogeneous cells.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is characterized by extensive tumor cell invasion, angiogenesis, and proliferation. We previously established subclones of GBM cells with distinct invasive phenotypes and identified annexin A2 (ANXA2) as an activator of angiogenesis and perivascular invasion. Here, we further explored the role of ANXA2 in regulating phenotypic transition in GBM. We identified oncostatin M receptor (OSMR) as a key ANXA2 target gene in GBM utilizing microarray analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis of the Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas Project and The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets. Overexpression of ANXA2 in GBM cells increased the expression of OSMR and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and enhanced cell invasion, angiogenesis, proliferation, and mesenchymal transition. Silencing of OSMR reversed the ANXA2-induced phenotype, and STAT3 knockdown reduced OSMR protein expression. Exposure of GBM cells to hypoxic conditions activated the ANXA2–STAT3–OSMR signaling axis. Mice bearing ANXA2-overexpressing GBM exhibited shorter survival times compared with control tumor-bearing mice, whereas OSMR knockdown increased the survival time and diminished ANXA2-mediated tumor invasion, angiogenesis, and growth. Further, we uncovered a significant relationship between ANXA2 and OSMR expression in clinical GBM specimens, and demonstrated their correlation with tumor histopathology and patient prognosis. Our results indicate that the ANXA2–STAT3–OSMR axis regulates malignant phenotypic changes and mesenchymal transition in GBM, suggesting that this axis is a promising therapeutic target to treat GBM aggressiveness.

BACKGROUND Malignant glioma has a poor prognosis and is characterized by excessive proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis. Previously, we established subclones of glioma cell lines with different invasive phenotypes to investigate the mechanisms of invasion in this malignancy. That study revealed annexin A2 (ANXA2) as an activator of angiogenesis and perivascular invasion. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of the phenotypic shift in glioma that is induced by ANXA2. METHODS We identified ANXA2 target genes using microarray analyses of our four established cell lines and RNA-seq data from the IVY Glioblastoma Atlas Project. Co-expression was then confirmed in human glioma cells. Additionally, qRT-PCR, immunoblotting, invasion assays, proliferation assays, and tube formation assays were performed to uncover the specific roles of these angiogenic invasion-related genes. Furthermore, we examined survival times and phenotypic shifts in vivo. RESULTS We identified oncostatin M receptor (OSMR) as an ANXA2-target gene using microarray and RNA-seq, and confirmed its expression correlated with ANXA2 in glioma cells. ANXA2-overexpressing glioma cells showed enhanced OSMR expression and STAT3 phosphorylation, while STAT3 knockdown reduced OSMR expression. When ANXA2 was overexpressed in glioma cells, invasion, angiogenesis, proliferation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition were promoted; however, silencing OSMR attenuated the ANXA2-induced phenotypic shift. In vivo, ANXA2-overexpressing glioma cells shortened the survival time of tumor-bearing mice, whereas OSMR knockdown increased survival times. CONCLUSIONS We analyzed genes whose expression was regulated by ANXA2 in glioma using invasive glioma models. Through this analysis, we identified that ANXA2 and OSMR regulate a phenotypic shift, suggesting that OSMR could be a promising target to treat and prevent glioma invasion.

INTRODUCTION Expression of the gene encoding reduced expression in immortalized cells/Dickkopf-3 (REIC/Dkk-3) was reported to be reduced in a variety of human cancer cells. We previously examined the antitumor effect of an adenoviral vector carrying REIC/Dkk-3 gene (Ad-CAG-REIC). Recently, a novel adenoviral vector expressing REIC/Dkk-3 has also been developed based on the cytomegalovirus promoter-driven super gene expression system (Ad-SGE-REIC). We evaluated the anti-glioma effect of the Ad-SGE-REIC and planned a clinical trial of Ad-SGE-REIC for malignant glioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated a cytotoxicity assay to treatments with Ad-SGE-REIC, Ad-CAG-REIC, or Ad-LacZ (control) using malignant glioma cells. The survival of mice in each group was analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method. We also performed Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) toxicology tests and prepared a protocol for this clinical trial. RESULTS In the cytotoxicity assay, after treatment with Ad-SGE-REIC, the number of malignant glioma cells attached to the bottom of culture wells was significantly reduced in a time-dependent manner. Mice treated with Ad-SGE-REIC survived significantly longer than those treated with other vectors. We also performed GLP toxicology tests using intracranial injection of higher doses of Ad-SGE-REIC in rats at Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL Japan) to determine the injection dose of Ad-SGE-REIC for this clinical trial. After finishing the consultation with Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), we prepared a protocol for a phase I/IIa clinical trial of Ad-SGE-REIC for the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma supported by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). This protocol was reviewed by institution review board (IRB) in March 2019. We submitted a notification of this trial in April 2019. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated the anti-glioma effect of Ad-SGE-REIC. We will start a phase I/IIa clinical trial of Ad-SGE-REIC for the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma.

INTRODUCTION Malignant gliomas are one of the most common and aggressive intracranial neoplasms in humans. Expression of the gene encoding reduced expression in immortalized cells/Dickkopf-3 (REIC/Dkk-3) is reduced in a variety of human cancer cells. We previously showed the antitumor effect of an adenoviral vector carrying REIC/Dkk-3 gene (Ad-CAG-REIC). Recently, we have also developed a novel adenoviral vector expressing REIC/Dkk-3 (Ad-SGE-REIC). We assessed the anti-glioma effect of the Ad-SGE-REIC and planned a clinical trial of Ad-SGE-REIC for malignant glioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated a cytotoxicity assay to treatments with Ad-SGE-REIC, Ad-CAG-REIC, or Ad-LacZ (control) using malignant glioma cells. The survival of mice in each group was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. We also performed Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) toxicology tests and prepared a protocol for this clinical trial. RESULTS The treatment with Ad-SGE-REIC showed the number of malignant glioma cells attached to the bottom of culture wells was significantly reduced in a time-dependent manner. Mice treated with Ad-SGE-REIC significantly prolonged survival time more than those treated with other vectors. A cGMP product of Ad-SGE-REIC was developed and supplied by a startup biotech company, Momotaro-Gene Inc. We conducted GLP toxicology tests using the intracranial injection of higher doses of Ad-SGE-REIC at Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL Japan). After finishing the consultation with Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), we prepared a protocol for a phase I/IIa clinical trial of Ad-SGE-REIC for the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma with our academic research organization (ARO), supported by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). This protocol was reviewed by our institution review board in March 2019. We submitted a notification of this trial in April 2019. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated the anti-glioma effect of Ad-SGE-REIC. We start a phase I/IIa clinical trial of Ad-SGE-REIC for the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma (https://jrct.niph.go.jp/en-latest-detail/jRCT2063190013).