Preparation of primary glial tumor cell lines

Objective. The aim of this work was to obtain the primary cell lines of brain malignant tumors using the explant method.

Materials and methods. Thirteen patients of both sexes, aged 22 to 66, were recruited. The tumor material of the patients was fragmented and placed in flasks with complete nutrient medium for glial tumor cells. Subsequently, the material was photographed at various stages of cultivation, the cell morphology was determined, and the rate of monolayer formation at the zero and first passages was assessed.

Results. As a result, thirteen primary human cell lines of glial tumors were obtained: six glioblastoma lines, two glioblastoma lines with anaplastic astrocytoma, one anaplastic oligodendroglioma line, one diffuse astrocytoma line, one oligoastrocytoma line and one diffuse protoplasmic astrocytoma line, one anaplastic astrocytoma line. In the culture of diffuse astrocytoma, there were observed the cells forming a network at the bottom of the flask. In the culture of anaplastic astrocytoma at a confluence of 30–50 %, fibroblast-like cells were presented, and at a confluence of 100 %, a monolayer was formed with cells intimately adjacent to each other. In the culture of oligoastrocytoma, both fibroblast-like cells and islets of closely intertwined fusiform cells were observed. The same was typical for the cells of diffuse protoplasmic astrocytoma. Anaplastic oligodendroglioma during the first week of cultivation was represented mainly by round cells with a contrast agent, which subsequently attached and actively proliferated. At a confluence of 30–80 %, fibroblast-like cells were observed, and at 100 %, spindle-shaped cells closely adjacent to each other. In cultures of glioblastomas, no specific character of cell growth was revealed: spindle-shaped, fibroblast-like cells and cells with long processes forming a network were encountered. Glioblastoma cultures against the background of anaplastic astrocytoma were represented by a network of cells with long processes.

At the zero passage, the rate of formation of a 100 % confluence monolayer ranged from 22 to 85 days. At the first passage, the cells reached a full monolayer within 4 to 25 days. At the zero passage, the longest time among all the samples to form the monolayer with a 100 % confluence needed glioblastoma lines – on average 59 days. The shortest time to reach a 100 % confluence was required for cells of diffuse astrocytoma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma against the background of anaplastic astrocytoma – 22–24 days.

Conclusions. In our work, it was shown that the explant method ensures the production of viable cells of glial tumors and the possibility of their further cultivation.