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Updated: Oct 3, 2025
Isolation, Enrichment, and Maintenance of Medulloblastoma Stem Cells
Published on: September 1, 2010
Omega-3 fatty acids decrease CRYAB, production of oncogenic prostaglandin E2 and suppress tumor growth in
Linda Ljungblad1, Filip Bergqvist2, Conny Tümmler1
1Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Aims:
Medulloblastoma (MB) is one of the most common malignant central nervous system tumors of childhood. Despite intensive treatments that often leads to severe neurological sequelae, the risk for resistant relapses remains significant. In this study we have evaluated the effects of the ω3-long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-LCPUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on MB cell lines and in a MB xenograft model.
Main Methods:
Effects of ω3-LCPUFA treatment of MB cells were assessed using the following: WST-1 assay, cell death probes, clonogenic assay, ELISA and western blot. MB cells were implanted into nude mice and the mice were randomized to DHA, or a combination of DHA and EPA treatment, or to control group. Treatment effects in tumor tissues were evaluated with: LC-MS/MS, RNA-sequencing and immunohistochemistry, and tumors, erythrocytes and brain tissues were analyzed with gas chromatography.
Key Findings:
ω3-LCPUFA decreased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion from MB cells, and impaired MB cell viability and colony forming ability and increased apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. DHA reduced tumor growth in vivo, and both PGE2 and prostacyclin were significantly decreased in tumor tissue from treated mice compared to control animals. All ω3-LCPUFA and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid increased in tumors from treated mice. RNA-sequencing revealed 10 downregulated genes in common among ω3-LCPUFA treated tumors. CRYAB was the most significantly altered gene and the downregulation was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.
Significance:
Our findings suggest that addition of DHA and EPA to the standard MB treatment regimen might be a novel approach to target inflammation in the tumor microenvironment.
Insights
Omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), reduced medulloblastoma (MB) cell growth and tumor progression. These ω3-long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-LCPUFA) show potential for targeting MB inflammation.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Medulloblastoma (MB) is a common pediatric central nervous system malignancy.
- Current treatments for MB carry risks of severe neurological side effects and significant relapse rates.
- Targeting tumor microenvironment inflammation is a potential therapeutic strategy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are ω3-long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-LCPUFA), on medulloblastoma (MB) cell lines.
- To assess the efficacy of DHA and EPA in a medulloblastoma xenograft model.
Main Methods:
- In vitro: WST-1 assay, cell death probes, clonogenic assay, ELISA, and western blot were used to assess MB cell responses to ω3-LCPUFA.
- In vivo: MB xenograft model in nude mice treated with DHA, DHA+EPA, or control. Tumor tissues, erythrocytes, and brain tissues were analyzed using LC-MS/MS, RNA-sequencing, immunohistochemistry, and gas chromatography.
Main Results:
- ω3-LCPUFA dose-dependently reduced MB cell viability, colony formation, and increased apoptosis, while decreasing prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion.
- DHA treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo, with decreased PGE2 and prostacyclin in tumor tissues.
- RNA-sequencing identified common downregulated genes in treated tumors, notably CRYAB, confirmed by immunohistochemistry.
Conclusions:
- DHA and EPA demonstrate anti-tumor effects in medulloblastoma models.
- Supplementation with DHA and EPA may offer a novel approach to manage MB by targeting tumor microenvironment inflammation.
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