Successful isolation and long-term establishment of a cell line with stem cell-like features from an anaplastic medulloblastoma.
OBJECTIVE
Herein we report on the successful isolation and establishment of a novel, long-term, primary, neurosphere-like cell line called 1603-MED from a 5-year-old boy affected by a highly aggressive anaplastic medulloblastoma.


METHODS
Elaboration of the new protocol for neurosphere assay is extensively discussed, together with a complete immuno-histochemical and cytogenetic characterization of 1603-MED.


RESULTS
Clinical course and histopathology are briefly discussed. The 1603-MED possesses a high capacity for proliferation, CD133 expression, self-renewal and differentiation, thus indicating that anaplastic medulloblastoma contains a subpopulation of cancer stem cells as observed in classic medulloblastoma.


CONCLUSIONS
1603-MED provides us with the first in vitro model of anaplastic medulloblastoma that may be suitable for studying both tumour progression and the genetic mechanisms related to therapy resistance, and may lead to the development and testing of chemosensitivity and new therapeutic targets.
Raso
A
A
Unità Operativa di Neurochirurgia, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy. rasoale@yahoo.it
Negri
F
F
Gregorio
A
A
Nozza
P
P
Mascelli
S
S
De Marco
P
P
Merello
E
E
Milanaccio
C
C
Ravegnani
M
M
Cama
A
A
Garrè
M L
ML
Capra
V
V
D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000166:cytology*; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*