Glioblastoma is one of the most common and most aggressive primary brain tumours of the central nervous system. It is very invasive and resistant to classical treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A key factor that contributes to tumour reoccurrence and patient’s death is the ability of cancer cells to invade surrounding brain tissue. Metalloproteases 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and 9), which belong to a group of gelatinases, are associated with high tumour grades and tumour progression and are critical proteases for cancer cell invasion and interaction with tumour microenvironment. In this bachelor thesis we determined the expression and localization of MMP-2/-9 in glioblastoma biopsies and organoids, which present an advanced 3D model that includes tumor microenvironment. We used the method of immunofluorescence, where we used specific antibodies against pro- and active form of MMPs and biomarkers of cancer cells and other cells of the tumour microenvironment, such as immune cells. The results showed that the expression of MMP-2/MMP-9 in the tissue and in the tissue derived organoids is the same. Furthermore MMP-2 and MMP-9 were expressed in immune cells as well as in the GBM tumour cells. Our future research questions include what role MMP-2/-9 play in immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and are these proteases crucial in glioblastoma cell invasion into the surrounding brain tissue. These results will lead to a better understanding of glioblastoma progression and the possibility of further targeting of MMP-2/-9 in glioblastoma in vivo.
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