The effects of irradiation on cell migration from glioblastoma multiforme biopsy spheroids.
BACKGROUND
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a primary brain tumour with a very poor prognosis despite aggressive multi-modality treatment. This pre-clinical experimental study focuses on the effect of irradiation on three-dimensional glioma biopsy spheroids in vitro using an outgrowth assay to evaluate cell survival and migrational capacity of the glioma cells.


METHODS
Tumour tissue of 16 patients with high-grade glioma and two GBM cell lines were used for spheroid preparation. Outgrowth and cell density were the parameters chosen to evaluate cell cytotoxicity and migrational capacity after irradiation (20 Gy and 4 x 5 Gy).


RESULTS
Radiation inhibited outgrowth of cell line spheroids, but not of the biopsy spheroids. All biopsy and cell line spheroids showed a significantly lower cell number (95 vs. 24 cells/0.25 mm2) in the outgrowth area after irradiation.


CONCLUSIONS
Irradiation has a cytotoxic effect in GBM biopsy spheroids but it hardly affects cell migration. No correlation was found between patient survival and cell migration nor with cytotoxicity.
Department of Radiation Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. ce.kleynen@vumc.nl
C E
CE
Kleynen
T R
TR
Stoter
T M
TM
Tadema
L J
LJ
Stalpers
C M
CM
Dirven
S
S
Leenstra
P
P
Van Der Valk
B J
BJ
Slotman
P
P
Sminia
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002455:Cell Division / Q000528:radiation effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured