Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Wick, L.
Melphalan as a Potential Drug for the Treatment of Human Uveal Melanoma Evaluated in Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Medizinische Universität Graz; 2024. pp. 65
[OPEN ACCESS]
FullText
- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Ghaffari Tabrizi-Wizsy Nassim
- Schwab Christoph
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Introduction. The mortality rate of patients with uveal melanoma has remained unchanged for years. Radiotherapy and surgical treatment are the methods of choice; drug therapy cannot be offered. Melphalan is already being used successfully for intra-arterial chemotherapy and intravitreal injection for retinoblastoma, so it could be a potential therapeutic agent for uveal melanoma. The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model is suitable for testing, as it provides an adequate basis for the growth of tumour cells and the testing of potential drugs. Methods. Fertilised White Lohman eggs are incubated for three days, opened and transferred to a sterile dish. After a further incubation period of six days, four established UM cell lines (92.1, Mel270, OMM-2.3, OMM-1) are transplanted onto the CAM of the embryos. One day later, 10µl of Melphalan at a concentration of 10µg/mL is added to onplant. After three days, the xenografts are photodocumented, excised and histologically processed. In addition to morphological observation, the mitosis of the tumour cells is analysed immunohistologically using the mitotic marker Ki-67. Prior to this, the appropriate matrix for the uveal melanoma cell lines was determined in a previous experiment. Results. All four uveal melanoma cell lines grow on the CAM and, under the influence of Matrigel, form partly brownish pigmented tumours that are permeated by CAM blood vessels. For cell line 92.1, macroscopic differences between the treated and untreated cells can be recognised. The histological staining shows that the tumour cells are less mitotically active under the influence of Melphalan and that many cells are already dying. The CAM tissue, on the other hand, is unchanged. Discussion. The CAM model represents a valid option for investigating the issue and the current results confirm a promising initial approach in the treatment of uveal melanoma. Further studies are needed in the future to better understand the effect of Melphalan on uveal melanoma tumours.