Abstract
Despite current strategies combining surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Tumor location plays a key role in the prognosis of patients, with GBM tumors located in close proximity to the lateral ventricles (LVs) resulting in worse survival expectancy and higher incidence of distal recurrence. Though the reason for worse prognosis in these patients remains unknown, it may be due to proximity to the subventricular zone (SVZ) neurogenic niche contained within the lateral wall of the LVs. We present a novel rodent model to analyze the bidirectional signaling between GBM tumors and cells contained within the SVZ. Patient-derived GBM cells expressing GFP and luciferase were engrafted at locations proximal, intermediate, and distal to the LVs in immunosuppressed mice. Mice were either sacrificed after 4 weeks for immunohistochemical analysis of the tumor and SVZ or maintained for survival analysis. Analysis of the GFP+ tumor bulk revealed that GBM tumors proximal to the LV show increased levels of proliferation and tumor growth than LV-distal counterparts and is accompanied by decreased median survival. Conversely, numbers of innate proliferative cells, neural stem cells (NSCs), migratory cells and progenitors contained within the SVZ are decreased as a result of GBM proximity to the LV. These results indicate that our rodent model is able to accurately recapitulate several of the clinical aspects of LV-associated GBM, including increased tumor growth and decreased median survival. Additionally, we have found the neurogenic and cell division process of the SVZ in these adult mice is negatively influenced according to the presence and proximity of the tumor mass. This model will be invaluable for further investigation into the bidirectional signaling between GBM and the neurogenic cell populations of the SVZ.
Highlights
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent and aggressive type of malignant primary brain tumor in adults [1, 2]
In order to determine whether Lateral ventricles (LVs) proximity induced differences in proliferation or apoptosis, we performed immunofluorescence staining for Ki67, cleaved caspase-3, and human nuclei (HuNu)+ GBM cells
We highlight a two-way relationship between GBM tumors and subventricular zone (SVZ) biology dependent on tumor proximity to the LV in rodents
Summary
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent and aggressive type of malignant primary brain tumor in adults [1, 2]. Tumor progression for GBM patients is greatly affected by tumor location. Lateral ventricles (LVs) infiltrating tumors account for over 50% of all GBM patients [5]. These LV-contacting tumors result in higher incidence of distant recurrence, as well as larger tumor volume and worse survival expectancy in patients [6,7,8,9]. GBM patients who receive radiotherapy that includes the ventricular wall ipsilateral to the tumor show increased survival when compared to patients where the ipsilateral ventricular wall is avoided [10], indicating the involvement of LV-derived factors in GBM progression
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