Mouse Models in Meningioma Research: A Systematic Review

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Meningiomas are the most frequent primitive central nervous tumors in adults. Mouse models of cancer are used to study disease mechanisms and to establish preclinical drug testing. In this review, we describe all mouse models of meningiomas reported in the literature. This includes graft models wherein human meningioma cells are injected in nude mice, and genetically engineered mouse models. Taken together, these models have offered the possibility to study tumorigenesis mechanisms of initiation and progression and have provided useful tools for preclinical testing of a huge range of innovative drugs and therapeutic options. This review provides a systematic and comprehensive overview on how these different models can be used depending on the scientific questions to be answered. ABSTRACT: Meningiomas are the most frequent primitive central nervous system tumors found in adults. Mouse models of cancer have been instrumental in understanding disease mechanisms and establishing preclinical drug testing. Various mouse models of meningioma have been developed over time, evolving in light of new discoveries in our comprehension of meningioma biology and with improvements in genetic engineering techniques. We reviewed all mouse models of meningioma described in the literature, including xenograft models (orthotopic or heterotopic) with human cell lines or patient derived tumors, and genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs). Xenograft models provided useful tools for preclinical testing of a huge range of innovative drugs and therapeutic options, which are summarized in this review. GEMMs offer the possibility of mimicking human meningiomas at the histological, anatomical, and genetic level and have been invaluable in enabling tumorigenesis mechanisms, including initiation and progression, to be dissected. Currently, researchers have a range of different mouse models that can be used depending on the scientific question to be answered.