Novel method for visualizing and modeling the spatial distribution of neural stem cells within intracranial glioma

Neuroimage. 2007:37 Suppl 1:S18-26. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.03.076. Epub 2007 May 13.

Abstract

Neural stem cells (NSCs) hold great promise for glioma therapy due to their inherent tumor-tropic properties, enabling them to deliver therapeutic agents directly to invasive tumor sites. In the present study, we visualized and quantitatively analyzed the spatial distribution of tumor-tropic NSCs in a mouse model of orthotopic glioma in order to predict the therapeutic efficacy of a representative NSC-based glioma therapy. U251.eGFP human glioma was established in the brain of athymic mice, followed by stereotactic injection of CM-DiI-labeled human NSCs posterior-lateral to the tumor site. Confocal microscopy, three-dimensional modeling and mathematical algorithms were used to visualize and characterize the spatial distribution of NSCs throughout the tumor. The pattern of NSC distribution showed a gradient with higher densities toward the centroid of the tumor mass. We estimate that NSC-mediated therapy would eradicate 70-90% of the primary tumor mass and the majority of invasive tumor foci. Our method may serve as a model for optimizing the efficacy of NSC-based glioma therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Gene Transfer Techniques
  • Glioma / genetics
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Glioma / therapy*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Models, Neurological
  • Neurons / pathology*
  • Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Stem Cells / physiology*

Substances

  • Green Fluorescent Proteins