Presentation
Organizer: IRB BioMed Seminars
Date: Friday 27 October 2023, 12:00h
Place: Fèlix Serratosa, PCB
Speaker: Sergio Casas Tintó, PhD - Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras (IIER-AGH) - Unidad de Enfermedades Humanas en Drosophila - Instituto de Salud Carlos III - Madrid
Title: "Cell To Cell Communication In Glioblastoma Progression"
Host: Dr. Cayetano González, Group Leader - Cell Division Laboratory- IRB Barcelona - Cancer Science Programme.
Abstract:
Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive, lethal and frequent primary brain tumor. It originates from glial cells and is characterized by rapid expansion through infiltration. We have studied how GB cells interact with the microenvironment and healthy surrounding tissues, mostly neurons. GB cells project tumor microtubes (TMs) that contact with neighboring neurons, and exchange signaling molecules related to Wingless/WNT, JNK, Insulin or Neuroligin-3 pathways. This cell to cell communication promotes GB expansion and synapse loss in the neurons. Moreover, healthy neurons form glutamatergic functional synapses with GB cells which facilitate GB expansion and premature death. Targeting signaling and synaptic components of GB progression may become a suitable strategy against glioblastoma. In a Drosophila GB model, we have determined the post-synaptic nature of GB cells with respect to neurons, and the contribution of post-synaptic genes expressed in GB cells to tumor progression. In addition, we document the presence of intratumoral synapses between GB cells, and the functional contribution of pre-synaptic genes to GB calcium dependent activity and expansion. Finally, we explore the relevance of synaptic genes in GB cells to the lifespan reduction caused by GB advance. Our results indicate that both presynaptic and postsynaptic proteins play a role in GB progression and lethality.
IRB BioMed Seminar
IMPORTANT: For attendees outside the PCB community you must register at least 24h before the seminar.
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