A patient-derived xenograft mouse platform from epithelioid glioblastoma provides possible druggable screening and translational study

Despite advancements in targeted therapy, glioblastoma remains a challenging condition with limited treatment options. While surgical techniques and external radiation therapy have improved, the median survival for glioblastoma stands at around 12-18 months, with a 5-year survival rate of only 6.8%. Epithelioid glioblastoma (eGBM) represents a rare subtype within the glioma spectrum. Utilizing patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models in mice offers a promising avenue for drug screening and translational research, particularly for this specific glioblastoma subtype. Establishing a stable PDX model for eGBM revealed consistent genetic abnormalities, including BRAF V600E mutation and CDKN2A deletion, in both primary and PDX tumors. Leveraging a curated drug database, compounds potentially targeting these aberrations were identified. By using the novel PDX platform, the results presented in this study demonstrate that the treatments with Palbociclib or Dabrafenib/Trametinib significantly reduced tumor size. RNA sequencing analysis further validated the responsiveness of the tumors to these targeted therapies. In conclusion, PDX models offer a deeper understanding of eGBM at the genomic level and facilitate the identification of potential therapeutic targets. Further translational studies of this novel PDX model hold promise for advancing the diagnosis and treatment of this specific subtype of glioblastoma.