title: Glioblastoma cell lines derived under serum-free conditions can be used as an in vitro model system to evaluate therapeutic response.
abstract: We provide evidence that six glioblastoma cell lines derived and maintained under serum-free conditions secrete VEGF and four also expressed VEGF(R2). Expression of VEGF(R2) was associated with reduced proliferation in response to anti-VEGF antibodies. Spontaneous loss of VEGF(R2) over passage was associated with loss of this anti-proliferative effect. Gain of expression of VEGF(R2) was not associated with the acquisition of responsiveness to anti-VEGF antibodies. Secretion of PDGF was absent in 5/6 of our cell lines and none of the cell lines had reduced proliferation in response to anti-PDGF antibodies suggesting that PDGF autocrine signalling was unlikely to be significant in tumour proliferation. These data are consistent with published clinical trials suggesting that glioblastoma cell lines derived under serum-free conditions have the potential for use in drug screening and individualising patient therapy.
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Emma M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kenney-Herbert
authors.forename: Siolian L R
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Talal M Fael
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Al-Mayhani
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Watts
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor / Q000379:methods; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2