Glioblastoma represents a particularly aggressive form of brain tumor and, furthermore, difficult to treat due to the heterogeneous nature of its cells. The survival rate is estimated to be less than 10% in 5 years. However, research carried out by scientists from the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center seems to have found a way to inhibit glioblastoma cells, that is, to stop the growth of tumor cells. of the brain.
Given the serious problems in treating this tumor, more and more researchers are exploring genetic options for its treatment.
Experts have successfully used a drug that targets different proteins that drive the growth of glioblastoma tumors. Instead of the RTK genes – which are responsible for initiating tumor growth – the new study found three transcription factors responsible for glioblastoma: Sox2, Olig2 and Zeb1.
“Our work shows that the genetic mutations that the pharmaceutical industry and doctors have focused on are essential only to initiate tumor growth. Once the tumor has advanced to the stage where patients seek treatment , these mutations are no longer necessary for the continuous growth of the tumor, They are, in effect, redundant “, explains Robert Bachoo, co-author of the work.
These neurodevelopmental transcription factors (master proteins that regulate the activity of hundreds of genes during normal brain development) are reactivated to drive glioblastoma growth. The scientists found that mithramycin inhibited these transcription factors.
“We can inhibit these transcription factors and prevent tumor growth with the chemotherapy drug mithramycin, a drug that has not been in clinical use for years due to its side effects. Our discovery has the potential for the development of a new therapy that may increase survival time for glioblastoma patients, announces research co-author Ralf Kittler.
The study findings have been published in the journal Cell Reports.
