Generation of cancerous neural stem cells forming glial tumor by oncogenic stimulation.

ABSTRACT: Neural stem cells in the brain have been shown to be 'cells of origin' of certain brain cancers, most notably astrocytomas and medulloblastoma. In particular, in a mouse model, the targeting of genetic modifications for astrocytoma-relevant tumor suppressors to neural stem cells causes malignant astrocytoma to arise, thereby suggesting that astrocytoma is derived from neural stem cells. However, it remains to be determined whether this important finding is reproducible in humans. Herein, we generated cancerous neural stem cells by introducing a set of oncogenes to human fetal neural stem cells (hfNSCs). Serial genetic modification with v-myc for immortalization and consequent H-Ras for oncogenic stimulation with viral gene delivery proved sufficient to induce the transformation of hfNSCs.

SUBMITTER: Lee JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4043123 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature