Abstract 5803: Tumor Treating Fields Alter PDGFR-β Localization in Immortalized Human Pericytes in an in Vitro Model of the Blood-Brain Barrier

Abstract Background: Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are alternating electric fields of intermediate frequency (100-500 kHz) and low intensity (1-3 V/cm). TTFields at 200 kHz, together with adjuvant chemotherapy, increased progression-free and overall survival of newly diagnosed Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wildtype and IDH mutant glioblastoma (GBM, WHO CNS 2016) patients in a randomized controlled trial and were therefore approved for the treatment of these patients. We recently demonstrated that TTFields at lower frequencies transiently increase the permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB) models of murine and human origin by delocalizing junctional proteins such as claudin-5, ZO-1, and occludin in endothelial cells. The interaction between pericytes and endothelial cells contributes to the rigorous integrity of the BBB and is driven by endothelial cells releasing the platelet-derived growth factor β-subunit (PDGF-β), which binds to the receptor PDGFR-β on the surface of pericytes. Here, we investigated the effects of TTFields on pericytes in a human cell-based in vitro BBB model in order to gain a better understanding of the effects of TTFields on BBB integrity. Methods: We prepared an in vitro BBB model composed of human brain microvascular endothelial cells and human pericytes. The model was subjected to TTFields at 100-300 kHz for 24 to 72 h. Afterwards, pericytes were incubated with Alexa Fluor 488-labeled anti-PDGFR-β antibody in order to visualize PDGFR-β localization and cell morphology under the microscope. To make sure that no cell loss occurred due to TTFields treatment, the nuclei of pericytes were counted. Results: TTFields treatment altered the distribution of PDGFR-β staining after treatment, with fewer, less distinct and more punctate PDGFR-β foci. These changes were most prominent after 72 h of TTFields treatment at 300 kHz. We also observed larger nuclei in the pericytes after treatment but no significant loss of cells could be observed as per the nuclei count. Conclusion: Together with the previously observed delocalization of tight junctional proteins in endothelial cells, the altered distribution of PDGFR-β pericytes could reveal new mechanistic insights into the effects of TTFields on BBB integrity. Citation Format: Ellaine Salvador, Theresa Koeppl, Almuth F. Kessler, Malgorzata Burek, Ralf-Ingo Ernestus, Mario Löhr, Carsten Hagemann. Tumor treating fields alter PDGFR-β localization in immortalized human pericytes in an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 5803.