Authors: Philipp Müller, Dirk Dietrich, Susanne Schoch, Julika Pitsch, Albert J. Becker, and Silvia Cases-Cunillera
Neurobiology of Disease, 24 November 2023
Gangliomas are rare, typically benign brain tumors that include a mixture of glial and neuronal cells and usually occur in children and young adults. Malignant gangliomas can be difficult to treat and are often associated with chronic seizure activity, but the mechanisms triggering neuronal hyperexcitability in the peritumoral area are not well understood. In this study, researchers use Axion’s Maestro Edge multielectrode array (MEA) platform and other methods to investigate the impact of ganglioma-secreted factors on non-neoplastic cells in vitro. Overall, the researchers showed that ganglioma-secreted factors trigger astrocytic proliferation and “exert an intrinsic neurotrophic effect resulting in a massively accelerated and disturbed network maturation process.” The authors suggest that these findings may lead to new therapeutic approaches for ganglioma-induced seizures.
