Neural Regeneration Research (Jan 2015)

Prevention against diffuse spinal cord astrocytoma: can the Notch pathway be a novel treatment target?

  • Jian-jun Sun,
  • Zhen-yu Wang,
  • Ling-song Li,
  • Hai-yan Yu,
  • Yong-sheng Xu,
  • Hai-bo Wu,
  • Yi Luo,
  • Bin Liu,
  • Mei Zheng,
  • Jin-long Mao,
  • Xiao-hui Lou

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/1673-5374.152378
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 2
pp. 244 – 251

Abstract

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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.

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