New model for brain cancer gives researchers better tool
By Ruth SoRelle, M.P.H.
Often, studying a disease requires that scientists work with tissue that is similar to that seen in humans.
A new model of brain cancer created by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital gives researchers better tools. To create their model, Xiao-Nan Li, M.D. Ph.D., assistant professor of pediatrics – hematology and oncology at Texas Children's Cancer Center, transplanted brain cancer cells directly into similar tissues of immune-deficient mice. The model preserved the brain tumor stem cells from which the cancers derived, said Li and his colleagues in a report that appears in the current issue of the journal Stem Cells. Texas Children's Cancer Center is the pediatric arm of the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at BCM.
Similar to human tumor
"We have demonstrated that it looks like the human tumor, behaves like it and preserves this critical cell population," said Li.
The transfer of tissue takes place within an hour of surgery on the human patients and occurs in an anatomically matched location, he said.
For example, if the tissue is taken from the human cerebellum, it is transplanted into the mouse cerebellum. Li and his associates believe this helps the tumor cells grow better.
Maintains cancer stem cells
Maintaining supplies of the cancer stem cells from the two kinds of tumors – glioma and medulloblastoma – enables researchers to generate enough of the cells to study them, said Li.
He and his colleagues plan to expand the technique to other kinds of cancers, which should allow them to understand how these stem cells keep cancers going. That should help develop ways to block tumor growth.
Model system
"It gives us a model system in which to test new compounds and therapeutics," said Li.
Others who took part in this work include Qin Shu, Kwong Kwok Wong, Jack M. Su, Adekunle M. Adesina, Li Tian Yu, Barbara C. Antalffy, Patricia Baxter, Laszlo Perlaky, Jianhua Yang, Robert C. Dauser, Murali Chintagumpala, Susan M. Blaney and Ching C. Lau, all of BCM and the Texas Children's Cancer Center. Yvonne T.M. Tsang and Wong are affiliated with The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Funding for this work comes from the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation, Cancer Fighters of Houston and the National Brain Tumor Foundation.
View the report. (pdf)
