According to the University of Warsaw,
these investigations illuminate the intricate mechanisms underlying glioblastoma while also forging new avenues for therapeutic advancement.
The results, emerging from parallel studies conducted by two research teams, spotlight potential strategies to confront one of oncology's most formidable challenges owing to GBM's high malignancy and associated dismal patient prognosis.
As per the University of Warsaw, the first team, in collaboration with scientists from Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany, unveiled the
pivotal role of the intracellular sorting receptor (SorLA) in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma.
Their study, published in EMBO Reports, revealed that the loss of this receptor heightens the inflammatory response of microglia in murine models of glioblastoma, subsequently impeding tumor growth.
This implies that unleashing the inflammatory potential of microglia and macrophages directly within the tumor milieu
could substantially curb cancer progression.
The researchers posit that targeting SorLA expression could potentially prove efficacious in combating GBM, though further investigations are warranted to grasp the full implications.
In a distinct study led by Dr. Marta Maleszewska of the University of Warsaw, in collaboration 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 avenue was delineated.
The team demonstrated that incapacitating the transcription factor known as DMRTA2 hinders cancer cells' ability to proliferate and arrests tumor growth.
This discovery, published in the journal Cell Death and Disease, suggests that DMRTA2 could serve both as a biomarker for glioblastoma and as a target for future therapeutic interventions.
Dr. Anna Malik, leader of one of the research groups at the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Biology, declared that the immune system's flawed response to the tumor, paradoxically aiding its growth, has been
a significant factor contributing to the dismal outcomes in glioblastoma patients.
The identified roles of microglia, macrophages, and the SorLA receptor in promoting tumor growth underscore the complexity of the disease's microenvironment and the innovative treatment avenues being explored.
The researchers caution that more comprehensive investigations are imperative to ascertain the clinical relevance of these mechanisms and the potential side effects of targeting SorLA gene expression and DMRTA2 function.
