Brain tumors comprise over one hundred types of masses, differing in location; patient age; molecular, histological, and immunohistochemical characteristics; prognosis and treatment. Glioma tumors originate from neuroglia, cells supporting the brain. Palladin, a structural protein widely expressed in mammalian tissues, has a pivotal role in cytoskeletal dynamics and motility in health and disease. Palladin is linked to the progression of breast, pancreatic, and renal cancers. In the central nervous system, palladin is involved in embryonic development, neuronal maturation, the cell cycle, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, the role of palladin in brain tumors was unknown. We determined that wild-type palladin is overexpressed in adult gliomas and is correlated with a decrease in survival. Palladin expression outperforms clinically used prognostic markers and is most prominent in glioblastoma. We show that palladin originates from the malignant cell population. Our findings indicate that palladin expression is linked to adult glioma progression and is associated with prognosis.

UNMET NEED
Tools for the early detection of primary and recurrent glioma tumors.

OUR SOLUTION
A simple test of palladin levels that can be translated to a risk factor for adult gliomas survival rate. 

APPLICATIONS
Minimally invasive early detection of primary and recurrent glioma tumors. Molecular diagnosis, classification, and risk stratification of glioma tumors that out-performs current standard. Delineation of glioma tumors for imaging and surgery and labeling of malignant cells. Treatment of glioma tumors with an emphasis of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wild type glioblastoma.

STATUS
Extensive study, publication and patent submitted. Further experiments are undergoing to expand our knowledge in palladin’s expression and mechanisms. 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Title: TREATMENT AND METHOD FOR PREDICTING DISEASE INCIDENCE, PROGRESSION, AND PROGNOSIS OF GLIOMA, applied on 22 September 2022.

 REFERENCES
Mayer O, Bugis J, Kozlova D, Leemann A, Mansur S, Peerutin I, Mendelovich N, Mazin M, Friedmann-Morvinski D, Shomron N. Cytoskeletal Protein Palladin in Adult Gliomas Predicts Disease Incidence, Progression, and Prognosis. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Oct 19;14(20):5130. doi: 10.3390/cancers14205130. PMID: 36291914; PMCID: PMC9600953.