A New Investigational Perspective for Purines Against Glioblastoma Invasiveness

Title:A New Investigational Perspective for Purines Against Glioblastoma Invasiveness

Volume: 19 Issue: 16

Author(s): Patricia Giuliani, Mariachiara Zuccarini, Marzia Carluccio, Sihana Ziberi, Patrizia Di Iorio, Francesco Caciagli and Renata Ciccarelli*

Affiliation:

• Dept. of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences. University of Chieti-Pescara, via dei Vestini 29, 66100 Chieti,Italy

Keywords: Glioblastoma multiforme, glioblastoma-derived stem cells, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), EMT markers, adenine-based purines, purine receptors.

Abstract: Background: Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common and lethal brain malignancy. Recent evidence suggests that the presence of stem-like cells (GSCs) inside the tumor with high self-renewal, resistance to chemotherapy and invasiveness/migration potential is associated with poor GBM prognosis. GSC aggressiveness seems to be linked to an important process involved in tumorigenesis and cancer metastasis called Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), which is responsible for several biochemical changes and the acquisition of a more mesenchymal phenotype by GSCs, that enhance their migration, invasiveness and resistance to apoptosis.

Objective: Since previous reports demonstrated that purines, interacting with their own receptors, exerted anti-tumor effects in GBM and derived cells, we tried to investigate the ability of these compounds to reduce tumor cell migration/invasion acting on EMT-associated genes/activators and/or signal pathways.

Methods: Search in the literature of relevant articles related to the objective.

Results: Papers examining the activity of purines on EMT signaling pathways/markers in GSCs are still few whereas literature is more abundant as for other kinds of tumors.

Conclusion: Considering the significance of EMT in GBM aggressiveness and the promising involvement of purines in this process, we think that further research in this regard may open the way towards a new therapeutic approach for the control of GBM invasiveness/recurrence.

Cite this article as:

Giuliani Patricia , Zuccarini Mariachiara , Carluccio Marzia , Ziberi Sihana , Di Iorio Patrizia , Caciagli Francesco and Ciccarelli Renata *, A New Investigational Perspective for Purines Against Glioblastoma Invasiveness, Current Drug Targets 2018; 19 (16) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389450119666180226123819