Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains one of the most lethal primary brain tumors despite surgical and therapeutic advancements. Targeted therapies of neoplastic diseases, including GBM, have received a great deal of interest in recent years. A highly studied target of GBM is interleukin-13 receptor α chain variant 2 (IL13Rα2). Targeted therapies against IL13Rα2 in GBM include fusion chimera proteins of IL-13 and bacterial toxins, nanoparticles, and oncolytic viruses. In addition, immunotherapies have been developed using monoclonal antibodies and cell-based strategies such as IL13Rα2-pulsed dendritic cells and IL13Rα2-targeted chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells. Advanced therapeutic development has led to the completion of phase I clinical trials for chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells and phase III clinical trials for IL-13-conjugated bacterial toxin, with promising outcomes. Selective expression of IL13Rα2 on tumor cells, while absent in the surrounding normal brain tissue, has motivated continued study of IL13Rα2 as an important candidate for targeted glioma therapy. Here, we review the preclinical and clinical studies targeting IL13Rα2 in GBM and discuss new advances and promising applications.

Purpose Neurological manifestations of COVID-19 infection include impaired consciousness, strokes, and seizures. Limited reports describing EEG abnormalities in patients with COVID-19 have been published. These articles reported nonspecific encephalopathic patterns, epileptiform discharges, and rarely seizures. Our primary aim was to assess EEG abnormalities in patients with COVID-19 and evaluate for epileptiform activity or seizures. Methods We identified five critically ill adult patients with COVID-19 who underwent EEG monitoring. All patients had Ceribell™ rapid response EEG initially and two continued with conventional long-term video EEG. Results All 5 patients had encephalopathy and 3 also had seizure-like movements, thus prompting EEG monitoring. EEGs all showed nonspecific markers of encephalopathy including diffuse slowing and generalized rhythmic delta activity. Two also had epileptiform discharges reaching 2−3 Hz at times, with one patient in nonconvulsive status epilepticus and the other developing clinical status epilepticus with myoclonic movements. EEG and clinical symptoms improved with anti-seizure medications. Conclusion Status epilepticus was present in 2 out of our cohort of 5 critically ill patients who underwent EEG monitoring. These findings highlight the importance of EEG monitoring in high-risk patients with COVID-19 and encephalopathy. EEG recordings in such patients can identify pathological patterns that will benefit from treatment with anti-seizure medications.