Multicellular "hotspots" harbor high-grade potential in lower-grade gliomas.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lower-grade gliomas may be indolent for many years before developing malignant behavior. The mechanisms underlying malignant progression remain unclear.

Methods

We collected blocks of live human brain tissue donated by people undergoing glioma resection. The tissue blocks extended through the peritumoral cortex and into the glioma. The living human brain tissue was cut into ex vivo brain slices and bathed in 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). High-grade glioma cells avidly take up 5-ALA and accumulate high levels of the fluorescent metabolite, Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). We exploited the PpIX fluorescence emitted by higher-grade glioma cells to investigate the earliest stages of malignant progression in lower-grade gliomas.

Results

We found sparsely distributed "

SUBMITTER: Kirby AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8082133 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature