3D spheroid models of paediatric SHH medulloblastoma mimic tumour biology, drug response and metastatic dissemination.

ABSTRACT: Studying medulloblastoma, the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour, requires simple yet realistic in vitro models. In this study, we optimised a robust, reliable, three-dimensional (3D) culture method for medulloblastoma able to recapitulate the spatial conformation, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions that exist in vivo and in patient tumours. We show that, when grown under the same stem cell enriching conditions, SHH subgroup medulloblastoma cell lines established tight, highly reproducible 3D spheroids that could be maintained for weeks in culture and formed pathophysiological oxygen gradients. 3D spheroid culture also increased resistance to standard-of-care chemotherapeutic drugs compared to 2D monolayer culture. We exemplify how this model can enhance in vitro therapeutic

SUBMITTER: Roper SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7895940 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature