1
|
Furst LM, Roussel EM, Leung RF, George AM, Best SA, Whittle JR, Firestein R, Faux MC, Eisenstat DD. The Landscape of Pediatric High-Grade Gliomas: The Virtues and Pitfalls of Pre-Clinical Models. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:424. [PMID: 38927304 PMCID: PMC11200883 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Pediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGG) are malignant and usually fatal central nervous system (CNS) WHO Grade 4 tumors. The majority of pHGG consist of diffuse midline gliomas (DMG), H3.3 or H3.1 K27 altered, or diffuse hemispheric gliomas (DHG) (H3.3 G34-mutant). Due to diffuse tumor infiltration of eloquent brain areas, especially for DMG, surgery has often been limited and chemotherapy has not been effective, leaving fractionated radiation to the involved field as the current standard of care. pHGG has only been classified as molecularly distinct from adult HGG since 2012 through Next-Generation sequencing approaches, which have shown pHGG to be epigenetically regulated and specific tumor sub-types to be representative of dysregulated differentiating cells. To translate discovery research into novel therapies, improved pre-clinical models that more adequately represent the tumor biology of pHGG are required. This review will summarize the molecular characteristics of different pHGG sub-types, with a specific focus on histone K27M mutations and the dysregulated gene expression profiles arising from these mutations. Current and emerging pre-clinical models for pHGG will be discussed, including commonly used patient-derived cell lines and in vivo modeling techniques, encompassing patient-derived xenograft murine models and genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs). Lastly, emerging techniques to model CNS tumors within a human brain environment using brain organoids through co-culture will be explored. As models that more reliably represent pHGG continue to be developed, targetable biological and genetic vulnerabilities in the disease will be more rapidly identified, leading to better treatments and improved clinical outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liam M. Furst
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.M.F.); (E.M.R.); (R.F.L.); (M.C.F.)
- Stem Cell Medicine, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
| | - Enola M. Roussel
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.M.F.); (E.M.R.); (R.F.L.); (M.C.F.)
- Stem Cell Medicine, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia;
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Ryan F. Leung
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.M.F.); (E.M.R.); (R.F.L.); (M.C.F.)
- Stem Cell Medicine, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
| | - Ankita M. George
- Stem Cell Medicine, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
| | - Sarah A. Best
- Personalised Oncology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - James R. Whittle
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia;
- Personalised Oncology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Ron Firestein
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia;
- Centre for Cancer Research, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Maree C. Faux
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.M.F.); (E.M.R.); (R.F.L.); (M.C.F.)
- Stem Cell Medicine, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - David D. Eisenstat
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; (L.M.F.); (E.M.R.); (R.F.L.); (M.C.F.)
- Stem Cell Medicine, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Centre for Cancer Research, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
- Children’s Cancer Centre, The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ni S, Chen R, Hu K. Experimental murine models of brainstem gliomas. Drug Discov Today 2021; 27:1218-1235. [PMID: 34954326 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
As an intractable central nervous system (CNS) tumor, brainstem gliomas (BGs) are one of the leading causes of pediatric death by brain tumors. Owing to the risk of surgical resection and the little improvement in survival time after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, there is an urgent need to find reliable model systems to better understand the regional pathogenesis of the brainstem and improve treatment strategies. In this review, we outline the evolution of BG murine models, and discuss both their advantages and limitations in drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Ni
- Murad Research Center for Modernized Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Pharmacy, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Rujing Chen
- Murad Research Center for Modernized Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Pharmacy, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Kaili Hu
- Murad Research Center for Modernized Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen Z, Peng P, Zhang X, Mania-Farnell B, Xi G, Wan F. Advanced Pediatric Diffuse Pontine Glioma Murine Models Pave the Way towards Precision Medicine. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13051114. [PMID: 33807733 PMCID: PMC7961799 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) account for ~15% of pediatric brain tumors, which invariably present with poor survival regardless of treatment mode. Several seminal studies have revealed that 80% of DIPGs harbor H3K27M mutation coded by HIST1H3B, HIST1H3C and H3F3A genes. The H3K27M mutation has broad effects on gene expression and is considered a tumor driver. Determination of the effects of H3K27M on posttranslational histone modifications and gene regulations in DIPG is critical for identifying effective therapeutic targets. Advanced animal models play critical roles in translating these cutting-edge findings into clinical trial development. Here, we review current molecular research progress associated with DIPG. We also summarize DIPG animal models, highlighting novel genomic engineered mouse models (GEMMs) and innovative humanized DIPG mouse models. These models will pave the way towards personalized precision medicine for the treatment of DIPGs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zirong Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Z.C.); (P.P.); (X.Z.)
| | - Peng Peng
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Z.C.); (P.P.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xiaolin Zhang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Z.C.); (P.P.); (X.Z.)
| | - Barbara Mania-Farnell
- Department of Biological Science, Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IN 46323, USA;
| | - Guifa Xi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Correspondence: (G.X.); (F.W.); Tel.: +1-(312)5034296 (G.X.); +86-(027)-8366-5201 (F.W.)
| | - Feng Wan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Z.C.); (P.P.); (X.Z.)
- Correspondence: (G.X.); (F.W.); Tel.: +1-(312)5034296 (G.X.); +86-(027)-8366-5201 (F.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Srikanthan D, Taccone MS, Van Ommeren R, Ishida J, Krumholtz SL, Rutka JT. Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma: current insights and future directions. Chin Neurosurg J 2021; 7:6. [PMID: 33423692 PMCID: PMC7798267 DOI: 10.1186/s41016-020-00218-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a lethal pediatric brain tumor and the leading cause of brain tumor–related death in children. As several clinical trials over the past few decades have led to no significant improvements in outcome, the current standard of care remains fractionated focal radiation. Due to the recent increase in stereotactic biopsies, tumor tissue availabilities have enabled our advancement of the genomic and molecular characterization of this lethal cancer. Several groups have identified key histone gene mutations, genetic drivers, and methylation changes in DIPG, providing us with new insights into DIPG tumorigenesis. Subsequently, there has been increased development of in vitro and in vivo models of DIPG which have the capacity to unveil novel therapies and strategies for drug delivery. This review outlines the clinical characteristics, genetic landscape, models, and current treatments and hopes to shed light on novel therapeutic avenues and challenges that remain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dilakshan Srikanthan
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael S Taccone
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Randy Van Ommeren
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Joji Ishida
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Stacey L Krumholtz
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - James T Rutka
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada. .,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada. .,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Suite 1503, 555, University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xu C, Liu X, Geng Y, Bai Q, Pan C, Sun Y, Chen X, Yu H, Wu Y, Zhang P, Wu W, Wang Y, Wu Z, Zhang J, Wang Z, Yang R, Lewis J, Bigner D, Zhao F, He Y, Yan H, Shen Q, Zhang L. Patient-derived DIPG cells preserve stem-like characteristics and generate orthotopic tumors. Oncotarget 2017; 8:76644-76655. [PMID: 29100338 PMCID: PMC5652732 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a devastating brain tumor, with a median survival of less than one year. Due to enormous difficulties in the acquisition of DIPG specimens and the sophisticated technique required to perform brainstem orthotopic injection, only a handful of DIPG pre-clinical models are available. In this study, we successfully established eight patient-derived DIPG cell lines, mostly derived from treatment-naïve surgery or biopsy specimens. These patient-derived cell lines can be stably passaged in serum-free neural stem cell media and displayed distinct morphologies, growth rates and chromosome abnormalities. In addition, these cells retained genomic hallmarks identical to original human DIPG tumors. Notably, expression of several neural stem cell lineage markers was observed in DIPG cell lines. Moreover, three out of eight cell lines can form orthotopic tumors in mouse brainstem by stereotactic injection and these tumors faithfully represented the characteristics of human DIPG by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathological staining. Taken together, we established DIPG pre-clinical models resembling human DIPG and they provided a valuable resource for future biological and therapeutic studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqing Liu
- Center for Life Sciences, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Peking-Tsinghua-NIBS Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yibo Geng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qingran Bai
- Center for Life Sciences, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Peking-Tsinghua-NIBS Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Changcun Pan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hai Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuliang Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhao Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Junting Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaohui Wang
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rui Yang
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jenna Lewis
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Darell Bigner
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Yiping He
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hai Yan
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Qin Shen
- Center for Life Sciences, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Goodwin CR, Xu R, Iyer R, Sankey EW, Liu A, Abu-Bonsrah N, Sarabia-Estrada R, Frazier JL, Sciubba DM, Jallo GI. Local delivery methods of therapeutic agents in the treatment of diffuse intrinsic brainstem gliomas. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2016; 142:120-127. [PMID: 26849840 DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Brainstem gliomas comprise 10-20% of all pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors and diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) account for the majority of these lesions. DIPG is a rapidly progressive disease with almost universally fatal outcomes and a median survival less than 12 months. Current standard-of-care treatment for DIPG includes radiation therapy, but its long-term survival effects are still under debate. Clinical trials investigating the efficacy of systemic administration of various therapeutic agents have been associated with disappointing outcomes. Recent efforts have focused on improvements in chemotherapeutic agents employed and in methods of localized and targeted drug delivery. This review provides an update on current preclinical and clinical studies investigating treatment options for brainstem gliomas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Rory Goodwin
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Risheng Xu
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rajiv Iyer
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Eric W Sankey
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ann Liu
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nancy Abu-Bonsrah
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rachel Sarabia-Estrada
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - James L Frazier
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel M Sciubba
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - George I Jallo
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Misuraca KL, Cordero FJ, Becher OJ. Pre-Clinical Models of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. Front Oncol 2015; 5:172. [PMID: 26258075 PMCID: PMC4513210 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2015.00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a rare and incurable brain tumor that arises in the brainstem of children predominantly between the ages of 6 and 8. Its intricate morphology and involvement of normal pons tissue precludes surgical resection, and the standard of care today remains fractionated radiation alone. In the past 30 years, there have been no significant advances made in the treatment of DIPG. This is largely because we lack good models of DIPG and therefore have little biological basis for treatment. In recent years, however, due to increased biopsy and acquisition of autopsy specimens, research is beginning to unravel the genetic and epigenetic drivers of DIPG. Insight gleaned from these studies has led to improvements in approaches to both model these tumors in the lab and to potentially treat them in the clinic. This review will detail the initial strides toward modeling DIPG in animals, which included allograft and xenograft rodent models using non-DIPG glioma cells. Important advances in the field came with the development of in vitro cell and in vivo xenograft models derived directly from autopsy material of DIPG patients or from human embryonic stem cells. Finally, we will summarize the progress made in the development of genetically engineered mouse models of DIPG. Cooperation of studies incorporating all of these modeling systems to both investigate the unique mechanisms of gliomagenesis in the brainstem and to test potential novel therapeutic agents in a preclinical setting will result in improvement in treatments for DIPG patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Misuraca
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Duke University Medical Center , Durham, NC , USA
| | | | - Oren J Becher
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Duke University Medical Center , Durham, NC , USA ; Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center , Durham, NC , USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Itakura G, Kobayashi Y, Nishimura S, Iwai H, Takano M, Iwanami A, Toyama Y, Okano H, Nakamura M. Control of the Survival and Growth of Human Glioblastoma Grafted Into the Spinal Cord of Mice by Taking Advantage of Immunorejection. Cell Transplant 2014; 24:1299-311. [PMID: 24818989 DOI: 10.3727/096368914x681711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurospheres can promote functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rodents, as well as in nonhuman primates. However, the potential tumorigenicity of the transplanted cells remains a matter of apprehension prior to clinical applications. As a first step to overcome this concern, this study established a glioblastoma multiforme xenograft model mouse. The feasibility of controlling immune suppression to ablate the grafted cells was then investigated. The human glioblastoma multiforme cell line U251 MG was transplanted into the intact spinal cords of immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice or into those of immunocompetent C57BL/6J H-2kb mice treated with or without immunosuppressants [FK506 plus anticluster of differentiation (CD) 4 antibody (Ab), or FK506 alone]. In vivo bioluminescent imaging was used to evaluate the chronological survival of the transplanted cells. The graft survival rate was 100% (n = 9/9) in NOD/SCID mice, 0% (n = 6/6) in C57BL/6J mice without immunosuppressant treatment, and 100% (n = 37/37) in C57BL6/J mice with immunosuppressant treatment. After confirming the growth of the grafted cells in the C57/BL6J mice treated with immunosuppressants, immune suppression was discontinued. The grafted cells were subsequently rejected within 3 days in C57BL/6J mice treated with FK506 alone, as opposed to 26 days in C57BL/6J mice treated with FK506 plus anti-CD4 Ab. Histological evaluation confirmed the ablation of the grafted cells. Although this work describes a xenograft setting, the results suggest that this immunomodulatory strategy could provide a safety lock against tumor formation stemming from transplanted cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Go Itakura
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Aoki Y, Hashizume R, Ozawa T, Banerjee A, Prados M, James CD, Gupta N. An experimental xenograft mouse model of diffuse pontine glioma designed for therapeutic testing. J Neurooncol 2012; 108:29-35. [PMID: 22231932 PMCID: PMC3841009 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-011-0796-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2011] [Accepted: 12/30/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The prognosis for diffuse infiltrating pontine gliomas (DIPG) remains extremely poor, with the majority of patients surviving less than 2 years. Here, we have adapted standard xenograft techniques to study glioma growth in the mouse brainstem, and have utilized the mouse model for studying a relevant therapeutic for treating DIPGs. bioluminescence imaging monitoring revealed a progressive increase in signal following the injection of either of two tumor cell types into the brainstem. Mice with orthotopic GS2 tumors, and receiving a single 100 mg/kg dose of temozolomide showed a lengthy period of decreased tumor luminescence, with substantially increased survival relative to untreated mice (P < 0.001). A small molecule inhibitor that targets cdk4/6 was used to test AM-38 brainstem xenograft response to treatment. Drug treatment resulted in delayed tumor growth, and significantly extended survival. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using an orthotopic brainstem tumor model in athymic mice, and for application to testing therapeutic agents in treating DIPG.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Aoki
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Rm M779, San Francisco, CA 94143-0112, USA
| | - Rintaro Hashizume
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Rm M779, San Francisco, CA 94143-0112, USA
| | - Tomoko Ozawa
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Rm M779, San Francisco, CA 94143-0112, USA
| | - Anu Banerjee
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael Prados
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Rm M779, San Francisco, CA 94143-0112, USA
| | - C. David James
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Rm M779, San Francisco, CA 94143-0112, USA
| | - Nalin Gupta
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Rm M779, San Francisco, CA 94143-0112, USA. Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Efficacy of vincristine administered via convection-enhanced delivery in a rodent brainstem tumor model documented by bioluminescence imaging. Childs Nerv Syst 2012; 28:565-74. [PMID: 22282078 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-012-1690-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2011] [Accepted: 01/05/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Brain stem gliomas account for 20% of childhood brain tumors. Presently, there is no effective treatment for these tumors, and the prognosis remains poor. One reason for this is that chemotherapeutic drugs cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. In this study, we used a rodent brainstem tumor model, monitored both qualitatively and quantitatively, to examine the effectiveness of vincristine (VCR) administered via convection-enhanced delivery (CED). METHODS C6 rat glioblastoma cells, transduced with an oncoretroviral plasmid containing a luciferase coding sequence, were inoculated into Fischer 344 rat brainstems. Tumor growth was monitored by bioluminescence intensity (BLI), and tumor volume was calculated from serial histopathologic sections. Therapeutic efficacy of VCR delivered via CED was assessed. Intravenous (I.V.) and intraperitoneal (I.P.) drug administration were used as a comparison for CED efficacy. RESULTS BLI monitoring revealed progressive tumor growth in inoculated rats. Symptoms caused by tumor burden were evident 16-18 days after inoculation. BLI correlated quantitatively with tumor volume (r(2) = 0.9413), established by histopathological analysis of tumor growth within the pons. VCR administered through CED was more effective than I.V. or I.P. administration in reducing tumor size and increasing survival times. TUNEL assay results suggest that VCR induced glioblastoma cell apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS VCR administered by CED was effective in reducing tumors and prolonging survival time.
Collapse
|
11
|
|
12
|
Caretti V, Zondervan I, Meijer DH, Idema S, Vos W, Hamans B, Bugiani M, Hulleman E, Wesseling P, Vandertop WP, Noske DP, Kaspers G, Molthoff CFM, Wurdinger T. Monitoring of tumor growth and post-irradiation recurrence in a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma mouse model. Brain Pathol 2010; 21:441-51. [PMID: 21159008 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2010.00468.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a fatal malignancy because of its diffuse infiltrative growth pattern. Translational research suffers from the lack of a representative DIPG animal model. Hence, human E98 glioma cells were stereotactically injected into the pons of nude mice. The E98 DIPG tumors presented a strikingly similar histhopathology to autopsy material of a DIPG patient, including diffuse and perivascular growth, brainstem- and supratentorial invasiveness and leptomeningeal growth. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was effectively employed to image the E98 DIPG tumor. [(18) F] 3'-deoxy-3'-[(18) F]fluorothymidine (FLT) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging was applied to assess the subcutaneous (s.c.) E98 tumor proliferation status but no orthotopic DIPG activity could be visualized. Next, E98 cells were cultured in vitro and engineered to express firefly luciferase and mCherry (E98-Fluc-mCherry). These cultured E98-Fluc-mCherry cells developed focal pontine glioma when injected into the pons directly. However, the diffuse E98 DIPG infiltrative phenotype was restored when cells were injected into the pons immediately after an intermediate s.c. passage. The diffuse E98-Fluc-mCherry model was subsequently used to test escalating doses of irradiation, applying the bioluminescent Fluc signal to monitor tumor recurrence over time. Altogether, we here describe an accurate DIPG mouse model that can be of clinical relevance for testing experimental therapeutics in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viola Caretti
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Masui K, Suzuki SO, Torisu R, Goldman JE, Canoll P, Iwaki T. Glial progenitors in the brainstem give rise to malignant gliomas by platelet-derived growth factor stimulation. Glia 2010; 58:1050-65. [PMID: 20468047 DOI: 10.1002/glia.20986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Glial progenitors in the white matter and the subventricular zone are the major population of cycling cells in the postnatal central nervous system, and thought to be candidates for glioma-initiating cells. However, less is known about the dividing cell populations in the brainstem than those in the cerebrum, leading to the lag of basic understanding of brainstem gliomas. We herein demonstrate much fewer cycling glial progenitors exist in the brainstem than in the cerebrum. We also show that infecting brainstem glial progenitors with PDGFB-green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing retrovirus induced tumors that closely resembled human malignant gliomas. Of note, brainstem tumors grew more slowly than cerebral tumors induced by the same retrovirus, and >80% tumor cells in the brainstem consisted of GFP-positive, infected progenitors while GFP-positive cells in the cerebral tumors were <20%. These indicate that cerebral tumors progressed rapidly by recruiting resident progenitors via paracrine mechanism whereas brainstem tumors grew more slowly by clonal expansion of the infected population. The cerebral and brainstem glial progenitors similarly showed reversible dedifferentiation upon PDGF stimulation in vitro and did not show the intrinsic difference in terms of the responsiveness to PDGF. We therefore suggest that slower, monoclonal progression pattern of the brainstem tumors is at least partly due to the environmental factors including the cell density of the glial progenitors. Together, these findings are the first implications regarding the cell-of-origin and the gliomagenesis in the brainstem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Masui
- Department of Neuropathology, Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hashizume R, Ozawa T, Dinca EB, Banerjee A, Prados MD, James CD, Gupta N. A human brainstem glioma xenograft model enabled for bioluminescence imaging. J Neurooncol 2009; 96:151-9. [PMID: 19585223 PMCID: PMC2808534 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-009-9954-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2009] [Accepted: 06/22/2009] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite the use of radiation and chemotherapy, the prognosis for children with diffuse brainstem gliomas is extremely poor. There is a need for relevant brainstem tumor models that can be used to test new therapeutic agents and delivery systems in pre-clinical studies. We report the development of a brainstem-tumor model in rats and the application of bioluminescence imaging (BLI) for monitoring tumor growth and response to therapy as part of this model. Luciferase-modified human glioblastoma cells from five different tumor cell sources (either cell lines or serially-passaged xenografts) were implanted into the pontine tegmentum of athymic rats using an implantable guide-screw system. Tumor growth was monitored by BLI and tumor volume was calculated by three-dimensional measurements from serial histopathologic sections. To evaluate if this model would allow detection of therapeutic response, rats bearing brainstem U-87 MG or GS2 glioblastoma xenografts were treated with the DNA methylating agent temozolomide (TMZ). For each of the tumor cell sources tested, BLI monitoring revealed progressive tumor growth in all animals, and symptoms caused by tumor burden were evident 26–29 days after implantation of U-87 MG, U-251 MG, GBM6, and GBM14 cells, and 37–47 days after implantation of GS2 cells. Histopathologic analysis revealed tumor growth within the pons in all rats and BLI correlated quantitatively with tumor volume. Variable infiltration was evident among the different tumors, with GS2 tumor cells exhibiting the greatest degree of infiltration. TMZ treatment groups were included for experiments involving U-87 MG and GS2 cells, and in each case TMZ delayed tumor growth, as indicated by BLI monitoring, and significantly extended survival of animal subjects. Our results demonstrate the development of a brainstem tumor model in athymic rats, in which tumor growth and response to therapy can be accurately monitored by BLI. This model is well suited for pre-clinical testing of therapeutics that are being considered for treatment of patients with brainstem tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rintaro Hashizume
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Brain Tumor Research Center, University of California, 505 Parnassus Ave., Room M779, San Francisco, CA 94143-0112, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Frazier JL, Lee J, Thomale UW, Noggle JC, Cohen KJ, Jallo GI. Treatment of diffuse intrinsic brainstem gliomas: failed approaches and future strategies. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2009; 3:259-69. [PMID: 19338403 DOI: 10.3171/2008.11.peds08281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas constitute ~ 60-75% of tumors found within the pediatric brainstem. These malignant lesions present with rapidly progressive symptoms such as cranial nerve, long tract, or cerebellar dysfunctions. Magnetic resonance imaging is usually sufficient to establish the diagnosis and obviates the need for surgical biopsy in most cases. The prognosis of the disease is dismal, and the median survival is < 12 months. Resection is not a viable option. Standard therapy involves radiotherapy, which produces transient neurological improvement with a progression-free survival benefit, but provides no improvement in overall survival. Clinical trials have been conducted to assess the efficacy of chemotherapeutic and biological agents in the treatment of diffuse pontine gliomas. In this review, the authors discuss recent studies in which systemic therapy was administered prior to, concomitantly with, or after radiotherapy. For future perspective, the discussion includes a rationale for stereotactic biopsies as well as possible therapeutic options of local chemotherapy in these lesions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James L Frazier
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Thomale UW, Tyler B, Renard VM, Dorfman B, Guarnieri M, Haberl HE, Jallo GI. Local chemotherapy in the rat brainstem with multiple catheters: a feasibility study. Childs Nerv Syst 2009; 25:21-8. [PMID: 18690465 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-008-0684-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTS Technical aspects of local chemotherapy in inoperable brainstem gliomas by convection-enhanced delivery (CED) are still under experimental considerations. In this study, we characterize the feasibility of multiple cannula placements in the rat brainstem. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 38 male Fisher rats, up to three guided screws were positioned in burr holes paramedian at 2.5 mm anterior and posterior to as well as at the lambdoid suture. Using Alzettrade mark pumps (1 microl/h flow rate over 7 days) either vehicle (5% dextrose) or 0.1 mg carboplatin was delivered via one, two, or three cannulas, respectively. During cannula insertion, electrocardiogram and respiratory rate was monitored. All rats were subsequently evaluated neurologically for 8 days. For drug distribution in coronal sections, the brain tissue concentration of platinum was measured. HE staining was used to evaluate the local site of drug delivery. Heart and respiratory rate remained within normal range during surgical procedure. Neurological scoring showed only mild neurological impairment in the groups receiving two or three cannulas, which resolved after vehicle delivery. However, after carboplatin delivery, this deficit remained unchanged. Drug distribution was more homogeneous in the three cannula group. Histological slices visualized edematous changes at the sight of cannula placement. CONCLUSION The unilateral application of up to three cannulas in the brainstem of rats for local drug delivery studies is feasible. The remaining neurological deficit in carboplatin-treated animals underlines the need of low toxicity drugs for CED in the brainstem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- U W Thomale
- Selbständiger Arbeitsbereich Pädiatrische Neurochirurgie, Charité, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburgr Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Liu Q, Liu R, Kashyap MV, Agarwal R, Shi X, Wang CC, Yang SH. Brainstem glioma progression in juvenile and adult rats. J Neurosurg 2008; 109:849-55. [PMID: 18976074 DOI: 10.3171/jns/2008/109/11/0849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECT Brainstem gliomas are common in children and have the worst prognosis of any brain tumor in this age group. On the other hand, brainstem gliomas are rare in adults, and the authors of some clinical studies have suggested that this lesion behaves differently in adults than in children. In the present study, the authors test an orthotopic C6 brainstem glioma model in juvenile and adult rats, and investigate the biological behavior of this lesion in the 2 age groups. METHODS The C6 glioma cells were stereotactically implanted into the pons of juvenile or adult male rats. Neurological presentation and survival time were recorded. Tumor proliferation and the number of apoptotic cells in brainstem gliomas of young and adult rats were determined by immunohistochemical staining with Ki 67 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-triphosphate-mediated nick-end labeling assay. RESULTS Striking differences in the onset of neurological signs, duration of symptoms, survival time, tumor growth pattern, tumor proliferation, and number of apoptotic cells were found between the gliomas in the 2 groups of rats. The lesions were relatively focal in adult rats but more diffuse in young rats. Furthermore, brainstem gliomas in adult rats were less proliferative and had more apoptotic cells than those in young rats. CONCLUSIONS The authors found that the C6 brainstem glioma model in young and adult rats closely imitates the course of brainstem glioma in humans both in neurological findings and histopathological characteristics. Their findings also suggest that the different growth pattern and invasiveness of these lesions in children compared with that in adults could be due to different cellular environments in the 2 age groups, and warrants further investigation into the difference in the host response to brainstem gliomas in children and adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Abstract
Brainstem tumors comprise 10-20% of all pediatric central nervous system tumors. The management of these tumors has evolved dramatically in the past century. Once considered uniformly fatal, it is now known that brainstem tumors have distinguishing characteristics and do not behave identically. The focality and location of the lesion is determined from the clinical history, presentation, and associated imaging. Based on these findings, it is possible to predict the behavior of the tumor and choose an appropriate intervention. Focal lesions have a good prognosis and are treated operatively while diffuse lesions have a poor prognosis and are managed medically. This article reviews the current classification of brainstem tumors, current management options and future directions for the treatment of these rare tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo F Recinos
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Jallo GI, Volkov A, Wong C, Carson BS, Penno MB. A novel brainstem tumor model: functional and histopathological characterization. Childs Nerv Syst 2006; 22:1519-25. [PMID: 17021732 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-006-0174-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Diffuse pontine gliomas remain a challenging and frustrating disease to treat. The survival rates for these high-grade brainstem tumors (BSTs) is dismal and optimal therapy has yet to be determined. The development of a satisfactory brainstem tumor model is necessary for testing new therapeutic paradigms that may prolong survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS We report the surgical technique, functional testing, and histopathological features of a novel brainstem tumor model in rats. Female Fischer 344 rats (n=45) were randomized to receive an injection of either 3 microl of 9L gliosarcoma cells (100,000 cells, n=), 3 microl of F98 glioma cells (100,000 cells, n=10), or 3 microl of medium (Dulbecco's modified eagle medium) into the pontine tegmentum. Using a cannulated guide screw system, implanted in the skull of the animal, we injected each group at coordinates 1.4 mm right of the sagittal and 1.0 mm anterior of the lambdoid sutures, at a depth of 7.0 mm from the dura. The head was positioned 5 degrees from horizontal before injection. The rats were post-operatively evaluated for neurological deficits using an automated test. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated for survival and disease progression, and brains were processed postmortem for histopathology. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 9L and F98 tumor cells grew in 100% of animals injected and resulted in a statistically significant mean onset of hemiparesis of 16.5+/-0.56 days (P=0.001, log-rank test), compared to animals in the control group which lacked neurological deficits by day 60. The animals with tumor cells implanted demonstrated significant deterioration of function on the automated rod testing. Animals in the control group showed no functional or pathological signs of tumor. Progression to hemiparesis was consistent in all tumor-injected animals, with predictable onset of symptoms occurring approximately 17 days post-surgery. The histopathological characteristics of the 9L and F98 BSTs were comparable to those of aggressive human BSTs. CONCLUSION The establishment of this animal tumor model will facilitate the testing of new therapeutic paradigms for the treatment of BSTs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George I Jallo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Caplan J, Pradilla G, Hdeib A, Tyler BM, Legnani FG, Bagley CA, Brem H, Jallo G. A Novel Model of Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors in Rats: Functional Progression and Histopathological Characterization. Neurosurgery 2006; 59:193-200; discussion 193-200. [PMID: 16823316 DOI: 10.1227/01.neu.0000219276.44563.da] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Intramedullary spinal cord tumors are difficult lesions to treat given their recurrence rate and limited treatment options. The absence of an adequate animal model, however, has hindered the development of new treatment paradigms. In this study, we describe the technique for intramedullary injection of two experimental rodent gliomas (9L and F98) and present the methodology for functional and histopathological analysis of tumor progression. METHODS F344 rats (n = 24) were randomized into three groups. Group 1 (n = 8) received a 5 microl intramedullary injection of Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium, Group 2 received a 5 microl intramedullary injection of 9L gliosarcoma (100,000) cells, and Group 3 received a 5 microl intramedullary injection of F98 glioma (100,000) cells. The animals were anesthetized, a 2 cm incision was made in the dorsal mid-thoracic region, and the spinous process of the T5 vertebrae was removed to expose the intervertebral space. The ligamentum flavum was removed, and an intramedullary injection was made into the spinal cord. The animals were evaluated daily for signs of paralysis using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scale and sacrificed after the onset of deficits for histopathological analysis. RESULTS Animals injected with 9L-gliosarcoma had a median onset of hind limb paresis at 12 +/- 2.9 days. Animals injected with F98 glioma had a median onset of hind limb paresis at 19 +/- 3 days. Animals injected with Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium did not show neurological deficits. Hematoxylin-eosin cross sections confirmed the presence of intramedullary 9L and F98 tumor invading the spinal cord. Control animals had no significant histopathological findings. CONCLUSION Animals injected with 9L or F98 consistently developed hind limb paresis in a reliable and reproducible manner. The progression of neurological deficits is similar to that seen in patients with intramedullary spinal cord tumors. These findings suggest that this model mimics the behavior of intramedullary spinal cord tumors in humans and may be used to examine the efficacy of new treatment options for both low- and high-grade intramedullary tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin Caplan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Caplan J, Pradilla G, Hdeib A, Tyler BM, Legnani FG, Bagley CA, Brem H, Jallo G. A NOVEL MODEL OF INTRAMEDULLARY SPINAL CORD TUMORS IN RATS. Neurosurgery 2006. [DOI: 10.1227/01.neu.0000243298.76813.53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
22
|
Lee J, Jallo GI, Guarnieri M, Carson BS, Penno MB. A novel brainstem tumor model: guide screw technology with functional, radiological, and histopathological characterization. Neurosurg Focus 2005. [DOI: 10.3171/foc.2005.18.6.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Object
Survival rates for high-grade brainstem tumors are approximately 10% and optimal therapy has yet to be determined. Development of a satisfactory brainstem tumor model is necessary for testing new therapeutic paradigms that may prolong survival. The authors report the technique, functional progression, radiological appearance, and histopathological features of a novel brainstem tumor model in rats.
Methods
Thirty female Fischer 344 rats were randomized (10 animals/group) to receive an injection of either 3 μl of 9L gliosarcoma cells (100,000 cells), 3 μl of F98 glioma cells (100,000 cells), or 3 μl of medium (Dulbecco modified Eagle medium) into the pontine tegmentum of the brainstem. Using a cannulated guide screw system implanted in the skull of the animal, rats in each group were injected at coordinates 1.4 mm to the right of the sagittal and 1 mm anterior to the lambdoid sutures, at a depth of 7 mm from the dura mater. The angle of the syringe during injection was anteflexed 5° from the vertical. Postoperatively, the rats were evaluated for neurological deficits by using an automated rotarod test. High-resolution [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) fused with computerized tomography (CT) scans were acquired pre- and postoperatively through the onset of hemiparesis and correlated accordingly. Kaplan–Meier curves were generated for survival and disease progression, and brains were processed postmortem for histopathological investigation.
The 9L and F98 tumor cells grew in 95% of the animals in which they were injected and resulted in a statistically significant mean onset of hemiparesis of 16.5 ± 0.56 days (p = 0.001, log-rank test), compared with animals in the control group, which had no neurological deficits by Day 45. The FDG-PET studies coregistered with CT scans demonstrated space-occupying brainstem lesions, and this finding was confirmed by histological studies. Animals in the control group showed no functional, radiological, or pathological signs of tumor.
Conclusions
Progression to hemiparesis was consistent in all tumor-injected animals, with predictable onset of symptoms occurring approximately 17 days postsurgery. The histopathological and radiological characteristics of the 9L and F98 brainstem tumors were comparable to those of aggressive primary human brainstem tumors. Establishment of this animal tumor model will facilitate the testing of new therapeutic paradigms for the treatment of these lesions.
Collapse
|