RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Human organotypic brain slice culture: a novel framework for environmental research in neuro-oncology
JF Life Science Alliance
JO Life Sci. Alliance
FD Life Science Alliance LLC
SP e201900305
DO 10.26508/lsa.201900305
VO 2
IS 4
A1 Vidhya M Ravi
A1 Kevin Joseph
A1 Julian Wurm
A1 Simon Behringer
A1 Nicklas Garrelfs
A1 Paolo d’Errico
A1 Yashar Naseri
A1 Pamela Franco
A1 Melanie Meyer-Luehmann
A1 Roman Sankowski
A1 Mukesch Johannes Shah
A1 Irina Mader
A1 Daniel Delev
A1 Marie Follo
A1 Jürgen Beck
A1 Oliver Schnell
A1 Ulrich G Hofmann
A1 Dieter Henrik Heiland
YR 2019
UL https://www.life-science-alliance.org/content/2/4/e201900305.abstract
AB When it comes to the human brain, models that closely mimic in vivo conditions are lacking. Living neuronal tissue is the closest representation of the in vivo human brain outside of a living person. Here, we present a method that can be used to maintain therapeutically resected healthy neuronal tissue for prolonged periods without any discernible changes in tissue vitality, evidenced by immunohistochemistry, genetic expression, and electrophysiology. This method was then used to assess glioblastoma (GBM) progression in its natural environment by microinjection of patient-derived tumor cells into cultured sections. The result closely resembles the pattern of de novo tumor growth and invasion, drug therapy response, and cytokine environment. Reactive transformation of astrocytes, as an example of the cellular nonmalignant tumor environment, can be accurately simulated with transcriptional differences similar to those of astrocytes isolated from acute GBM specimens. In a nutshell, we present a simple method to study GBM in its physiological environment, from which valuable insights can be gained. This technique can lead to further advancements in neuroscience, neuro-oncology, and pharmacotherapy.