These studies shed light on the intricate mechanisms underlying glioblastoma but also open new paths for therapeutic development, according to the University of Warsaw.
The findings, stemming from parallel research by two teams of researchers, highlight potential strategies to combat one of oncology's most daunting challenges due to the high malignancy of GBM and associated poor patient prognosis.
The first team, collaborating with scientists from Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, revealed the critical role of the intracellular sorting receptor (SorLA) in the pathology of glioblastoma, the University of Warsaw said.
Their study, published in EMBO Reports, showed that losing this receptor intensifies the inflammatory response of microglia in mouse models of glioblastoma, subsequently inhibiting tumor growth.
This suggests that unlocking the inflammatory potential of microglia and macrophages directly within the tumor site could significantly restrain cancer growth.
The researchers believe that targeting SorLA expression could prove to be an effective method in fighting GBM, though further studies are required to fully understand the implications.
In a separate study, led by Dr. Marta Maleszewska of the University of Warsaw and involving collaborations with the Warsaw-based Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, the Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, and the Children's Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw, another promising approach was identified.
The team demonstrated that disabling the transcription factor known as DMRTA2 blocks the cancer cells' ability to multiply and halts tumor growth.
This discovery, published in the journal Cell Death and Disease, indicates that DMRTA2 could serve as both a biomarker for glioblastoma and a target for future therapeutic strategies, the researchers say.
Dr. Anna Malik, the leader of one of the research groups at the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Biology, explained that the immune system's faulty response to the tumor, paradoxically aiding its growth, has been a major reason for the poor outcomes in glioblastoma patients.
The identified roles of microglia, macrophages, and the SorLA receptor in supporting tumor growth underscore the complexity of the disease's microenvironment and the innovative avenues for treatment being explored.
The researchers have cautioned that more in-depth investigation is needed to determine the clinical relevance of these mechanisms and the potential side effects of targeting the SorLA gene expression and DMRTA2 function.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP