Genetically engineered mouse models of diffuse gliomas

Over the last decade, genetically engineered mouse models have been extensively used to dissect the genetic requirements for neoplastic initiation and progression of diffuse gliomas. While these models faithfully recapitulate the histopathological features of human gliomas, comparative genomic analyses are increasingly being utilized to comprehensively assess their fidelity to recently identified molecular subtypes of these tumors. Future progress with these models will rely on incorporating insights not only from oncogenomics studies of cancer, but also from the developmental neuroscience and stem cell biology fields to design accurate and experimentally tractable models for use in translational cancer research, particularly for experimental therapeutics studies of molecularly defined subtypes of gliomas.

► Mouse models define the genetic basis for glioma initiation and progression.
► Mouse models can be used to identify the cells from which gliomas develop.
► Comparative genomics identifies “best-fit” models for molecular subtypes of human gliomas.
► Mouse models of gliomas are promising for development of personalized therapies.