Expression of type VI collagen during glioblastoma cell invasion in brain tissue cultures.

Human glioblastoma cells, U-87 MG, were utilized in two separate rat brain tissue culture systems. In both cases, the glioblastoma cells deeply penetrated and formed tumor masses inside the brain tissues. Immunofluorescence technique, utilizing anti-type VI collagen antibodies demonstrated strong immunoreactivity of type VI collagen in the tumor masses, invading cells, and cell groups. We suggest that type VI collagen may be involved in tumor cells infiltration and invasion of healthy rat brain tissues. Furthermore, the brain tissue culture method may provide a rapid in vitro model with which cellular and extracellular determinants of invasiveness may be studied.