Gene targeting helps overcome the resistance of brain cancer to therapy
Discovery opens new therapeutic avenue for treating glioblastoma tumours


Date:
August 17, 2020
Source:
McGill University
Summary:
New insight into a gene that controls energy production in cancer
stem cells could help in the search for a more effective treatment
for glioblastoma. A new study reveals that suppressing the OSMR
gene can improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
New insight into a gene that controls energy production in cancer
stem cells could help in the search for a more effective treatment
for glioblastoma. A McGill-led study published in Nature Communication
reveals that suppressing the OSMR gene can improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy.


==========================================================================
This approach, led by the laboratory of Arezu Jahani-Asl, Assistant
Professor of Medicine at McGill University, was successful in preclinical
mouse models where the deletion of the OSMR gene resulted in a significant improvement of tumour response to therapy and expanded lifespan.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive cancerous brain tumour
in adults due to its resistance to therapy. Treatment usually involves
surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Despite these intensive efforts, in most cases tumour cells regrow after treatment
and the cancer recurs.

Starving cancer stem cells Glioblastoma tumours contain rare cancer stem
cells responsible for therapeutic resistance and tumour regrowth. In
the study, researchers uncover the unique role OSMR plays in fortifying
cancer stem cells' resistance to therapy by strengthening mitochondria,
the powerhouse of cell energy production. It makes the long journey
to the mitochondria and interacts with energy-producing machineries to
force them to generate more energy for cancer cells.

"To improve patient response to glioblastoma treatment, we must find
new vulnerabilities in cancer stem cells and overcome their resistance
to therapy.

By suppressing OSMR, we were able to halt energy production in cancer
stem cells, essentially starving them to death," says Jahani-Asl.

The study provides evidence that targeting OSMR gene, in combination
with radiation therapy, can pave the way for future clinical trials that
better treat glioblastoma tumours. The next step is to leverage these
tools into a clinical trial, the researchers say.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by McGill_University. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Ahmad Sharanek, Audrey Burban, Matthew Laaper, Emilie Heckel, Jean-
Sebastien Joyal, Vahab D. Soleimani, Arezu Jahani-Asl. OSMR
controls glioma stem cell respiration and confers resistance of
glioblastoma to ionizing radiation. Nature Communications, 2020;
11 (1) DOI: 10.1038/ s41467-020-17885-z ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200817122945.htm

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