title: Prevention against diffuse spinal cord astrocytoma: can the Notch pathway be a novel treatment target?
abstract: This study was designed to investigate whether the Notch pathway is involved in the development of diffuse spinal cord astrocytomas. BALB/c nude mice received injections of CD133(+) and CD133(-) cell suspensions prepared using human recurrent diffuse spinal cord astrocytoma tissue through administration into the right parietal lobe. After 7-11 weeks, magnetic resonance imaging was performed weekly. Xenografts were observed on the surfaces of the brains of mice receiving the CD133(+) cell suspension, and Notch-immunopositive expression was observed in the xenografts. By contrast, no xenografts appeared in the identical position on the surfaces of the brains of mice receiving the CD133(-) cell suspension, and Notch-immunopositive expression was hardly detected either. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining revealed xenografts on the convex surfaces of the brains of mice that underwent CD133(+) astrocytoma transplantation. Some sporadic astroglioma cells showed pseudopodium-like structures, which extended into the cerebral white matter. However, it should be emphasized that the subcortex xenograft with Notch-immunopositive expression was found in the fourth mouse received injection of CD133(-) astrocytoma cells. However, these findings suggest that the Notch pathway plays an important role in the formation of astrocytomas, and can be considered a novel treatment target for diffuse spinal cord astrocytoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: China Stem Cell Research Center, Peking University Health Science Center, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Song
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Clinical Stem Cell Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Clinical Stem Cell Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China ; Clinical Laboratory of Tissue & Cell Research Center, Department of Biotech Treatment, Logistics College of Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Rui'an People's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Lou
keywords: CD133; MRI; Notch; astrocytoma; brain; glial fibrillary acidic protein; immunodeficiency (BALB/c) mice; mice; nerve regeneration; nestin; neural regeneration; spinal cord