Objective To discuss the techniques and significance of neuroendoscopic treatment for symptomatic septum pellucidum cysts. Methods A total of 12 patients with symptomatic septum pellucidum cysts were given a cyst-lateral ventricle ventriculostomy via a transcallosal and transventricular approach by using a neuroendoscope 4.0 mm in external diameter(Storz,Germany).Headache,epilepsy,and mental symptoms were prominent clinical manifestations.Two patients were complicated with hydrocephalus. Results Improvement of symptoms was achieved postoperatively in all the 12 patients.Out of 6 patients with a major sign of intracranial hypertension,symptoms completely disappeared in 4 patients and improved in 2 patients.Four patients with epilepsy attacks had no recurrence.A follow-up was made in 12 patients for 6~24 months(mean,18 months).Re-examinations of CT or MRI showed the cysts had decreased in size by 90% in 2 patients.The lesions completely disappeared in 2 patients with hydrocephalus. Conclusions Neuroendoscopic cyst-lateral ventricle ventriculostomy for septum pellucidum cysts is a safe,effective,and minimally invasive operation.

Objective To explore the microsurgical technique and clinical value of endoscope-assisted microsurgery via the transsphe-noidal approach to the clivus. Methods According to the results of microanatomy of endoscope-assisted via the transsphenoidal approach to sellar and clival area, the clinical data of 12 cases (8 with invasive pituitary adenoma, 3 with chordoma, 1 with chondroma) treated by transsphenoidal approach were studied retrospectively. All cases were followed-up 3 months to 6 years after operation. Results The tumor was totally removed in 8 patients, removed subtotally in 3 patients, and removed partially in 1 patient. 6 patients occurred transient diabetes insipidus, 2 patients with transient cerebrospinal rhinorrhoea. There were no death or intracranial infection. Postoperative follow-up was performed for 3 months to 6 years, No recurrence occurred except for enlargement of 1 chordoma. Conclusion Transsphenoidal approach satisfactorily and quickly reaches and helps remove the larger tumors in sellar and clival area without severe complication. It has the advantages of low incidence of surgical complication and high total removal rate. Endoscope-assisted may be helpful for this approach.

The neural stem cells in Wistar rats were cultured in vitro, purified, and transplanted into C6 glioma model in order to observe their biological characters and provide a basic foundation for treatment of neurological diseases by neural stem cell transplantation. The cells at hippocampal area from gestation 15-day rats were cultured in vitro, and frozen and preserved in liquid nitrogen. C6 tumor-bearing models (n=25) and neural stem cells transplantation models (n=35) were established. When the tumor grew to 3 to 4 weeks, 5 rats in each group were randomly selected for MRI examination. At different intervals, the rats were perfused and sampled for HE staining, GFAP and BrdU immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that after resuscitation of neural stem cells at 1-4 passages, the cell viability was 40%-63% with the difference being not significant. The cells could proliferate, passage, and most cells transplanted into glioma model survived. The mean survival time in neural stem cell transplantation group and control was 4.28 and 3.88 weeks respectively, and the average tumor size in the former was smaller than in the latter. It was concluded that embryonic neural stem cells in rats could proliferate and differentiate, and after resuscitation the biological characteristic and viability of the cells were not influenced. Neural stem cells had inhibitory effects on the growth of glioma cells and could prolong the survival of rat model.
Brain/cytology ; Brain Neoplasms/*therapy ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryonic Stem Cells/cytology ; Embryonic Stem Cells/*transplantation ; Glioma/*therapy ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neurons/*cytology ; Random Allocation ; Rats, Wistar ; Stem Cell Transplantation

The neural stem cells in Wistar rats were cultured in vitro, purified, and transplanted into C6 glioma model in order to observe their biological characters and provide a basic foundation for treatment of neurological diseases by neural stem cell transplantation. The cells at hippocampal area from gestation 15-day rats were cultured in vitro, and frozen and preserved in liquid nitrogen. C6 tu-mor-bearing models (n=25) and neural stem cells transplantation models (n=35) were established.When the tumor grew to 3 to 4 weeks,5 rats in each group were randomly selected for MRI examina-tion. At different intervals, the rats were perfused and sampled for HE staining, GFAP and BrdU im-munohistochemical staining. The results showed that after resuscitation of neural stem cells at 1-4 passages, the cell viability was 40%-63% with the difference being not significant. The cells could proliferate, passage, and most cells transplanted into glioma model survived. The mean survival time in neural stem cell transplantation group and control was 4.28 and 3.88 weeks respectively, and the average tumor size in the former was smaller than in the latter. It was concluded that embryonic neu- ral stem cells in rats could proliferate and differentiate, and after resuscitation the biological charac- teristic and viability of the cells were not influenced. Neural stem cells had inhibitory effects on the growth of glioma cells and could prolong the survival of rat model.

Objective To detect the gene expressions of phosphatase and tensin homolog on chromosome ten (PTEN) engineered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and observe their effects on DBTRG glioma cells.Methods Primary culture of human umbilical cord MSCs was performed;48 h after PTEN transfection into MSCs by liposomes,transfection results were detected under microscope.(1) Transfected MSCsPTEN were used as experimental group and MSCs as control group.PTEN protein and gene expressions of the cells from the two groups were detected by Western blotting and real time-PCR;soluble PTEN protein in the culture supematants was measured using ELISA.(2) In vitro cultured DBTRG cells were divided into four groups,and MSCs supernatant and 25％,50％ and 100％ MSCsPTEN supernatants were added into the four groups,respectively;24 h after culture,calcein AM/EthD-1 staining was used to detect the activity of DBTRG cells which co-cultured with different percentages of MSCsPTEN medium.(3) In vitro cultured DBTRG cells were divided into three groups,and MSCs supernatant and 25％ and 100％ MSCsPTEN supernatants were added into the three groups;RTCA was used to observe the growth curve of DBTRG cells.Results (1) A large number of red fluorescence masses were noted in the MSCsPTEN cells by microscope;real time-PCR and Western blotting indicated that the gene and protein expressions of PTEN in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P＜0.05).PTEN content in the supernatants of the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P＜0.05).(2) CalceinAM/EthD-1 staining indicated that 25％,50％ and 100％ MSCsPTEN supernatant groups had significantly larger number of death DBTRG cells than MSCs supernatant group (P＜0.05);and with the increase of MSCsPTEN supeenatant percentages,the number of death DBTRG cells became larger (P＜0.05).(3) RTCA indicated that as compared with the MSCs supernatant group,25％ and 100％ MSCsPTEN supernatant groups had decreased DBTRG cell index.Conclusion After MSCsPTEN transfection,MSCsPTEN cells can stablely express targeted gene,and their supernatant can obviously promote the death of DBTRG cells and inhibit the growth of glioma cells;PTEN engineered MSCs may be an effective gene therapy for gliomas.