Targeting Glioma Stem Cells

Yagmur Muftuoglu; Frank Pajonk

doi:10.1016/j.nec.2021.01.002

Targeting Glioma Stem Cells

Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2021 Apr;32(2):283-289. doi: 10.1016/j.nec.2021.01.002. Epub 2021 Feb 18.

Authors

Yagmur Muftuoglu¹, Frank Pajonk²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 300 Stein Plaza Driveway, Suite 420, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1714, USA.
² Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1714, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: pajonk@ucla.edu.

Abstract

Only a small fraction of the tumor cell population, glioma-initiating cells (GICs) help glioblastoma propagate, invade, evade immune recognition, repair DNA in response to radiation more efficiently, remodel the microenvironment for optimal growth, and actively pump out chemotherapies. Recent data hint that efforts toward GIC characterization and quantification can help predict patient outcomes, and yet the different subpopulations of GICs remain incompletely understood. A better understanding of GIC subtypes and functions proves critical for engineering targeted therapies. Challenges for doing so are discussed, and dopamine receptor antagonists are introduced as new means to enhance the efficacy of the current standard-of-care against GICs.

Keywords: Glioblastoma; Glioblastoma-initiating cells; Intratumoral heterogeneity; Plasticity.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Brain Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Glioblastoma*
Glioma* / drug therapy
Humans
Neoplastic Stem Cells
Tumor Microenvironment

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding