2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - ePosters-EP.14A.07 Molecular Characterization and Validation of Live Cell Biobank for Pleural Mesothelioma

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The study focuses on the molecular characterization and validation of a live cell biobank for pleural mesothelioma (PM), created within the Department of Thoracic Surgery at University Hospital Zürich. The aim is to utilize primary cells from fresh patient material to improve research methodologies, specifically for in vitro drug testing, overcoming the limitations associated with long-term cell line cultures.<br /><br />A total of 219 cell cultures from the PM biobank have been generated over 16 years, representing 261 PM patients. These cultures were characterized using various methods including immunohistochemical staining (IHC) to identify and segregate tumor cells, thereby excluding fibroblasts. Pan-Cytokeratin (pan-CK) staining was employed to differentiate epithelial cell origins with the resulting intensity classified from weak to strong via an H-score. Additionally, cell growth was assessed using an MTT assay to evaluate metabolic activity.<br /><br />The study identified that the median doubling time for cell cultures was around 88 hours, indicating a suitable range for future experiments. Cultures expressing high levels of pan-CK (H-score ≥150) are prioritized for further analysis with additional PM tumor markers by IHC, compared to the original tumor tissues. Only those with concordant marker expression are selected for further validation through assays such as copy number variation.<br /><br />In conclusion, the study successfully recultured a substantial number of primary cell stocks with optimal doubling times for experimental use. The high pan-CK expressing cultures provide an invaluable translational research model for PM, supporting further research into tumor biology and therapeutic strategies. This initiative lays the groundwork for enhancing PM treatment and understanding, funded by the Stiftung für angewandte Krebsforschung.

Asset Subtitle

Isabelle Schmitt-Opitz

Meta Tag

Speaker Isabelle Schmitt-Opitz

Topic Mesothelioma, Thymoma, and Other Thoracic Tumors

Keywords

molecular characterization

pleural mesothelioma

live cell biobank

primary cells

immunohistochemical staining

Pan-Cytokeratin

MTT assay

doubling time

tumor markers

translational research