bims-mesote 2026-08-09 papers

Issue of 2026–08–09
two papers selected by
Laura Mannarino, Humanitas Research

Thorac Cancer. 2026 Aug;17(15): e70366

Insights Into Genomic Drivers, Transcriptomic Heterogeneity, and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities From Novel Mesothelioma Cell Lines.

Yani Wu, Fang Cao, Jiayin Dai, Zhenli Yang, Yanli Zhu, Dongmei Lin, Xiaocui Bian, Yuqin Liu.

BACKGROUND: Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is an aggressive cancer with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis, necessitating comprehensive model systems for mechanistic studies and drug discovery.
METHODS: Tumor cells were isolated from malignant pleural effusion of PM patients and subjected to primary culture and continuous passaging. Cell lines were successfully established after more than 40 continuous passages in vitro. Cell identification included morphological analysis, species identification, short tandem repeat (STR) profiling, mycoplasma detection, in vitro proliferation assays, in vivo tumorigenicity testing in NOD/SCID mice, and immunohistochemical characterization. Genomic landscapes and transcriptomic profiling were defined by whole-exome, whole-genome sequencing, and RNA-sequencing.
RESULTS: Three Chinese-derived pleural mesothelioma cell lines (PUMC-MESO1, PUMC-MESO3, and PUMC-MESO4) were successfully established. All three cell lines exhibited epithelioid morphology with adherent growth patterns. Upon subcutaneous transplantation into NOD/SCID mice, PUMC-MESO1 and PUMC-MESO4 demonstrated tumorigenicity, while PUMC-MESO3 remained non-tumorigenic after 3 months of observation. Histopathological examination confirmed their mesothelioma origin through positive staining for mesothelial markers including calretinin, WT-1, and D2-40. Genomic analysis revealed characteristic PM genomic alterations including mutations in BAP1, NF2, and TP53, along with CDKN2A deletions. Transcriptomic analyses revealed heterogeneous molecular features among the three cell lines. Although the PUMC-MESO cell lines displayed distinct clustering patterns relative to the CCLE mesothelioma cohort, each retained transcriptomic similarities to specific established mesothelioma models. Drug sensitivity assays further demonstrated heterogeneous responses to standard therapeutic agents.
CONCLUSION: This study reports the establishment and characterization of three novel PM cell lines. These models recapitulate key aspects of PM biology, exhibit diverse therapeutic responses, and provide a valuable new resource for investigating disease mechanisms and advancing precision oncology research.

Keywords: cell line; chemosensitivity; multi‐omics; pleural mesothelioma; resource

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-7714.70366

CHEST Pulm. 2025 Dec;3(4): 100201

Combined Ultrasound-Guided Thoracentesis, Percutaneous Pleural Biopsy, and Indwelling Pleural Catheter Insertion as the First Intervention in Patients With High Likelihood of Malignant Pleural Effusion.

Michael V Brown, Jelena Solujic, Sarah Yeo, Julia Kim, Phan Nguyen, Arash Badiei.

Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) indicates advanced disease and imposes a significant symptomatic burden to patients. Current guidelines recommend stepwise investigation and management.
Research Question: Is it feasible and safe to combine ultrasound (US)-guided pleural biopsy and indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) insertion as the initial diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for patients with high preprocedural probability of MPE?
Study Design and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent pleural procedures between March 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022. Sixteen patients with symptomatic unilateral pleural effusion and clinical or radiologic features suggestive of malignancy underwent combined US-guided pleural biopsy and IPC insertion as their first management step. Feasibility was determined by the number of patients requiring repeat diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and time to diagnosis. Safety was determined by complication rates.
Results: Of 258 patients who received 384 pleural procedures, 16 patients (11 male; mean age ± SD, 77 ± 9.5 years) underwent the combined procedure. All patients had high preprocedural probability of MPE as evidenced by appropriate history, a unilateral pleural effusion (93.7%), and pleural nodularity or thickening on CT chest scan or US (87.5%). Mean time to diagnostic procedure was 9.3 days. Malignancy was confirmed in 100% of cases, with mesothelioma being the most common (50%). Pleural fluid cytology was diagnostic in 3 cases (18.8%), whereas 13 US-guided pleural biopsies (81.3%) were diagnostic. Nine patients (56.25%) had their IPC removed because of autopleurodesis or treatment response, with a mean removal time of 55.8 days. At 12 months, 5 patients (31.25%) had a documented complication, with pain and catheter blockage being the most common. One patient (6.25%) developed pleural infection. Over one-half (56.2%) received antineoplastic treatment with their IPC in situ. No patient required a repeat pleural procedure on follow-up.
Interpretation: A combined approach of closed, percutaneous US-guided pleural biopsy and IPC insertion as initial pleural intervention was shown to be feasible in patients with high preprocedural probability for MPE with no unexpected safety signals.

Keywords: closed pleural biopsy; indwelling pleural catheter (IPC); malignant pleural effusion (MPE); mesothelioma; ultrasound

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chpulm.2025.100201