Classification of Subpopulations of Cells Within Human Primary Brain Tumors by Single Cell Gene Expression Profiling

• Brain tumors are heterogeneous with respect to genetic and histological properties of cells within the tumor tissue. To study subpopulations of cells, we developed a protocol for obtaining viable single cells from freshly isolated human brain tissue for single cell gene expression profiling. We evaluated this technique for characterization of cell populations within brain tumor and tumor penumbra. Fresh tumor tissue was obtained from one astrocytoma grade IV and one oligodendroglioma grade III tumor as well as the tumor penumbra of the latter tumor. The tissue was dissociated into individual cells and the expression of 36 genes was assessed by reverse transcription quantitative PCR followed by data analysis. We show that tumor cells from both the astrocytoma grade IV and oligodendroglioma grade III tumor constituted cell subpopulations defined by their gene expression profiles. Some cells from the oligodendroglioma grade III tumor proper shared molecular characteristics with the cells from the penumbra of the same tumor suggesting that a subpopulation of cells within the oligodendroglioma grade III tumor consisted of normal brain cells. We conclude that subpopulations of tumor cells can be identified by using single cell gene expression profiling.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biokemi och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Neurovetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Neurosciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Astrocytoma grade IV

Oligodendroglioma grade III

Glioblastoma multiforme

Single cell gene expression profiling

FIBRILLARY ACIDIC PROTEIN

STEM-CELLS

GLIOBLASTOMA-MULTIFORME

MARKER

GLIOMAS

CANCER

HETEROGENEITY

ASTROCYTES

PROLIFERATION

MAINTENANCE

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Neurosciences

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