Identification of therapeutically relevant tumour-associated alterations of the RA signalling pathway in glioblastoma

Patricia Flynn

Glioblastomas are aggressive primary brain tumours with limited treatment options and a poor survival rate. Natural and synthetic vitamin A derivatives called retinoids have been shown to reduce the growth of tumours in various cancer types. This effect is mediated by a group of proteins called the retinoic acid receptors that control molecular pathways that lead to the promotion or suppression of cell growth in target tissues. The final effect of this is determined by which retinoic acid receptors are present in the cells.

We propose to investigate which of these receptors are expressed in glioblastomas and associate their expression with the tumour properties. Once receptors that are preferentially associated with slow tumour growth are identified, we will study the effects of these proteins on tumour characteristics in a cell model of glioblastoma.

Our aim is to identify proteins that reduce the growth of glioblastoma cells and attempt modulate their activity using specific retinoids. In this way retinoid therapy might become a novel therapeutic option to offer to carefully selected patients.