Heterologous Transplantation of Two Tissue Culture Lines of Glioblastoma Multiforme (TC 178 and TC 224).

Abstract

Two tissue culture lines of human glioblastoma multiforme growing in continuous cultivation (TC 178 since 9/4/57 and TC 224 since 2/28/59) have been successfully transplanted to heterol-ogous hosts. When the glioma lines were injected into the subcutaneous tissue of cortisone-treated, X-irradiated hamsters, only in rare instances did well-vascularized, true neoplasms develop. Histologically these tumors had an epithelial, carcinoma-like appearance and did not bear any resemblance to the original human glioblastomas. The anterior chamber of the eye and brain of untreated guinea pigs were again used as transplantation sites for growing tumor transplants from the treated hamsters. Large neoplasms developed in both brains and eyes which were readily transferred to other untreated guinea pigs and have been carried by serial passage to the present time. The histological appearance was maintained. The tumors of the guinea pigs were unquestionably epithelial in character and appeared carcinoma-like rather than glio-blastomatous. It is apparent that the morphological alteration occurred in the tissue culture because it was observed both in the treated hamsters and the untreated guinea pigs.