Athymic mice reveal a requirement for T-cell-microglia interactions in establishing a microenvironment supportive of Nf1 low-grade glioma growth
Authors
- Y. Pan
- M. Xiong
- R. Chen
- Y. Ma
- C. Corman
- M. Maricos
- U. Kindler
- M. Semtner
- Y.H. Chen
- S. Dahiya
- D.H. Gutmann
Journal
- Genes & Development
Citation
- Genes Dev 32 (7-8): 491-496
Abstract
Pediatric low-grade gliomas (LGGs) frequently do not engraft in immunocompromised mice, limiting their use as an experimental platform. In contrast, murine Neurofibromatosis-1 (Nf1) optic LGG stem cells (o-GSCs) form glioma-like lesions in wild-type, but not athymic, mice following transplantation. Here, we show that the inability of athymic mice to support o-GSC engraftment results from impaired microglia/macrophage function, including reduced expression of Ccr2 and Ccl5, both of which are required for o-GSC engraftment and Nf1 optic glioma growth. Impaired Ccr2 and Ccl5 expression in athymic microglia/macrophages was restored by T-cell exposure, establishing T-cell-microglia/macrophage interactions as critical stromal determinants that support NF1 LGG growth.