Cell-based Research

New Leads for Development of Glioblastoma Treatments

Australian-based researchers have investigated whether MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) inhibition could result in attenuation of glioblastoma cell proliferation, and whether allosteric MK2 inhibitors could be used as new leads for development of glioblastoma treatments. Their findings were published in an article titled, "Cytotoxic activity of the MK2 inhibitor CMPD1 in glioblastoma cells is independent of MK2," in the journal, Cell Death Discovery, on 07 September 2015. Here, the authors report that CMPD1, attenuates viability of cancer cells, but its activity is independent of MK2.

The study made use of U87 and U251 glioblastoma cells, as supplied by the European Collection of Cell Cultures (ECACC; Salisbury, UK). A172 and U138 glioblastoma, SW-1088 astrocytoma, lung NCI-H23, A549 and colon HCT116, murine microglial BV-2 cells and MEFs were also used, as supplied by the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC; Manassas, VA, USA). The study also used U87-EGFRvIII glioblastoma cells, which were provided by their lab of origin.

To read the article, click here.

Good Cell Culture Practice

Rooting Out Cell Line Contaminants

Last year, to improve the reproducibility of prostate cancer research, the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF; Santa Monica, CA, US) implemented a Cell Line Authentication Initiative which requires PCF funded researchers to report results on cell line authentication and mycoplasma testing in their annual progress report.

 
Dr Howard Soule, PCF Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer, has said that the PCF policy that requires grantees to provide cell line authentication data, has worked so far. In a feature article titled, "The Great Big Clean-Up," which was published in The Scientist on 01 September 2015, Dr Soule said that: "Not only have funding recipients complied, but the policy has helped root out contaminants, preventing scientists from wasting resources on a line they weren’t intending to study."

 
To read the article, click here.