Anticoagulation therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). Endovascular therapy may be considered in selected patients with clinical deterioration despite optimal medical treatment. However, conventional mechanical thrombectomy using aspiration and/or stent-retrievers might be inadequate in extensive CVST because of large and organized thrombi and non-availability of venous thrombectomy devices. We present a technical modification using an angioplasty non-compliant (NC) balloon as an adjunct to suction thrombectomy for venous sinus mechanical thrombectomy in a case of extensive CVST. Conventional methods of thrombectomy failed to recanalize the sinuses; hence, an angioplasty NC balloon was used to decimate the clot with simultaneous suction thrombectomy to achieve near-complete recanalization of the affected sinuses with good clinical outcome. We name this the “pipeline-pigging” technique. The pipeline-pigging method of using a normal angioplasty NC balloon for venous sinus mechanical thrombectomy may serve as an effective and economical technical adjunct for extensive CVST refractory to conventional methods. This approach facilitates thrombus fragmentation, aspiration and improved delivery of thrombolytics and may expand the endovascular armamentarium for extensive CVST.

Objective: Studies outlining the genetic architecture of Parkinson’s disease in India are sparse, and juvenile parkinsonism is underrepresented in the literature. The objective was to study the clinical, therapeutic, and genetic profiles of patients with juvenile parkinsonism and to correlate their phenotypic–genotypic characteristics. Methods: This retrospective chart review was conducted in patients with suspected genetically mediated juvenile parkinsonism (onset ≤21 years) who underwent genetic testing at a tertiary care center in India from 2015–2024. The available phenotypic–genotypic characteristics were evaluated and compared between Gene (+) and Gene (-) patients. Results: Forty patients (22 males, 55.0%) with juvenile parkinsonism were included, with mean ages at onset and presentation of 15.85±4.96 years and 26.37±10.11 years, respectively. The mean duration of illness was 10.43±10.49 years. A positive family history was present in 40.0% of the participants, and consanguinity was present in 45%. Bradykinesia was the most common motor symptom (95.0%), and cognitive impairment was the most common nonmotor symptom (17.5%). Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were identified in 27 patients (67.5%), with variants in PRKN being the most common (n=8 patients), followed by those in PLA2G6 (n=7 patients). Gene (+) patients had significantly more severe disease with a better levodopa response and more frequent familial consanguinity, oculomotor abnormalities, motor fluctuations, and dyskinesia. Compared with PARK-PRKN patients, PARK-PLA2G6 patients had significantly more dystonia, gaze restriction, and pyramidal signs and more severe disease at presentation, with a lower levodopa equivalent daily dose and fewer motor fluctuations. Conclusion More than two-thirds (67.5%) of the juvenile parkinsonism patients in our cohort had an underlying monogenic cause. PARK-PRKN, PARK-PLA2G6, and PARK-SYNJ1 are the common causes of genetically mediated juvenile parkinsonism in India.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progresses from preneoplastic precursors via genetic and epigenetic alterations. Previous studies have focused on the treatment of terminally developed OSCC. However, the role of epigenetic regulators as therapeutic targets during the transition from preneoplastic precursors to OSCC has not been well studied. Our study identified lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) as a crucial promoter of OSCC, demonstrating that its knockout or pharmacological inhibition in mice reversed OSCC preneoplasia. LSD1 inhibition by SP2509 disrupted cell cycle, reduced immunosuppression, and enhanced CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell infiltration. In a feline model of spontaneous OSCC, a clinical LSD1 inhibitor (Seclidemstat or SP2577) was found to be safe and effectively inhibit the STAT3 network. Mechanistic studies revealed that LSD1 drives OSCC progression through STAT3 signaling, which is regulated by phosphorylation of the cell cycle mediator CDK7 and immunosuppressive CTLA4. Notably, LSD1 inhibition reduced the phosphorylation of CDK7 at Tyr170 and eIF4B at Ser422, offering insights into a novel mechanism by which LSD1 regulates the preneoplastic-to-OSCC transition. This study provides a deeper understanding of OSCC progression and highlights LSD1 as a potential therapeutic target for controlling OSCC progression from preneoplastic lesions.
STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism* ; Animals ; Histone Demethylases/genetics* ; Phosphorylation ; Mouth Neoplasms/immunology* ; Mice ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/immunology* ; Disease Progression ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Activating Kinase ; Precancerous Conditions/metabolism* ; Humans ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal