Abstract 444: Slit2 stimulation induces a chemorepellent effect on the migration of human GBM brain tumor initiating cells

Gioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of primary brain tumor in adults. Despite the use of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery, survival still averages 14 months. GBM has a recurrence of almost 100% due to highly invasive brain tumor initiating cells (BTICs) left behind after surgery. As reported by our group and others, survival expectancy of GBM patients is greatly affected by tumor location. Specifically, tumors in close proximity to the lateral ventricles (LV) show a higher incidence of distant recurrence, as well as worse survival expectancy. This location is the site of the subventricular zone (SVZ), the largest neurogenic niche in the adult brain of mammals, which maintains continuous production of neural stem cells (NSCs) throughout adult life. The cause for worse prognosis in patients whose tumors are in close proximity to the SVZ is not known, but one hypothesis is that regulators of the neurogenic niche might be influencing tumor cells to become more invasive and migratory. In rodents, Slit-Robo is one of these signals which functions as a chemorepulsive ligand-receptor system involved in guiding the migration of newly generated NSCs from the SVZ to other regions of the central nervous system. Further, it has been found that Slit2 affects the migration of glioma and medulloblastoma commercial cell lines. We have previously demonstrated that primary cultured human GBM BTICs respond to slit stimulation in a chemorepellant manner. However, the r...
Source: Cancer Research - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Tumor Biology Source Type: research