Progesterone receptors are detectable in tumor fragment spheroids of meningiomas in vitro.
Progesterone receptors (PgR) are hardly to be found in monolayer tissue culture of meningiomas although 60-70% of native tissue specimens are PgR positive. Thus we examined whether RgR might be detectable in fragment spheroids of meningiomas in vitro. 25 meningiomas of 17 women and 8 men were investigated as native tissue, monolayer cell culture (primary passage and passage 3) and as fragment spheroid culture after 1 and 3 weeks. 18/25 native tissue samples revealed the PgR. There was no prevalence of sex or histological subtypes discernible. PgR was preserved in cell clumps of the primary passage but was completely lost when cells grew as monolayers (primary passage and passage 3). 21 meningiomas formed spheroids in vitro. In 8 out of 15 native PgR positive tumors the fragment spheroids showed PgR on cryosections after 1 and 3 weeks of culture. We conclude that PgR are preserved in a considerable amount of tumor fragment spheroids of meningiomas in contrast to monolayer culture. Thus spheroids seem to be a suitable tool to investigate progesterone/anti-progesterone effects in meningiomas in vitro.
Tonn
J C
JC
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Würzburg, Germany.
Ott
M M
MM
Meixensberger
J
J
Paulus
W
W
Roosen
K
K
D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D011980:Receptors, Progesterone