title: Implementation of a multi-institutional diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma autopsy protocol and characterization of a primary cell culture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a fatal paediatric malignancy. Tumour resection is not possible without serious morbidity and biopsies are rarely performed. The resulting lack of primary DIPG material has made preclinical research practically impossible and has hindered the development of new therapies for this disease. The aim of the current study was to address the lack of primary DIPG material and preclinical models by developing a multi-institutional autopsy protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  An autopsy protocol was implemented in the Netherlands to obtain tumour material within a brief post mortem interval. A team of neuropathologists and researchers was available at any time to perform the autopsy and process the material harvested. Whole brain autopsy was performed and primary DIPG material and healthy tissue were collected from all affected brain areas. Finally, the study included systematic evaluation by parents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five autopsies were performed. The mean time interval between death and time of autopsy was 3 h (range 2-4). All tumours were graded as glioblastoma. None of the parents regretted their choice to participate, and they all derived comfort in donating tissue of their child in the hope to help future DIPG patients. In addition, we developed and characterized one of the first DIPG cell cultures from post mortem material.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here we show that obtaining post mortem DIPG tumour tissue for research purposes is feasible with short delay, and that the autopsy procedure is satisfying for participating parents and can be suitable for the development of preclinical DIPG models.
authors: Department of Pediatric Oncology, VU University Medical Center, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Caretti
authors: M H A
authors: MH
authors: Jansen
authors: D G
authors: DG
authors: van Vuurden
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Lagerweij
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bugiani
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Horsman
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Wessels
authors: P
authors: P
authors: van der Valk
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Cloos
authors: D P
authors: DP
authors: Noske
authors: W P
authors: WP
authors: Vandertop
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Wesseling
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Wurdinger
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Hulleman
authors: G J L
authors: GJ
authors: Kaspers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy / Q000592:standards*; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010290:Parents; D011149:Pons / Q000473:pathology; D061251:Primary Cell Culture / Q000592:standards*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm