Targeting Brain Cancer at the Root – Technology Networks

McGill University researchers have identified proteins that drive cancer stem cells. Targeting and supressing a particular protein called galectin1 could provide a more effective treatment for glioblastoma, in combination with radiation therapy.

Due to its resistance to therapy, glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive cancerous brain tumour in adults. It grows fast and spreads quickly. While treatments such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can help ease symptoms for a few months, in most cases tumour cells regrow after treatment and the cancer recurs.

According to the researchers, no matter how low the weeds are cut, if the roots are not pulled out, the weeds will just grow back.

What we found was really astonishing for us. After we inhibited the galectin1 protein, the brain tumours simply didnt grow for several months, says Arezu Jahani-Asl, an Associate Professor of Medicine at McGill University. To improve patient response to therapy, we must exploit these newly identified vulnerabilities in cancer stem cells.

The researchers discovered that a protein called galectin1 interacts with another protein called HOXA5 to control the genetic programs that drive cancer stem cell behaviour. By supressing galectin1 in preclinical models, they found a significant improvement in tumour response to radiation therapy, resulting in expanded lifespan.

The researchers also analyzed patient databases and found that glioblastoma patients with low expression of galectin1 and HOXA5 proteins had the best prognosis. Together, these proteins along with another called STAT3 activate mechanisms that promote a particularly aggressive type of glioblastoma.

Reference: Sharanek A, Burban A, Hernandez-Corchado A, et al. Transcriptional control of brain tumor stem cells by a carbohydrate binding protein. Cell Reports. 2021;36(9). doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109647

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

Read more:

Targeting Brain Cancer at the Root - Technology Networks