An overview of crucial genes involved in stemness of glioblastoma multiforme

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and first leading cause of death in primary human brain cancers. Following current interventions, despite continuous advancements in medicine, the median survival time of patients is unfavorable regardless of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or surgery. This poor outcome is referred to “cancer stem cell” (CSC) concept. According to it a minority of cells within the GBM mass originates from neural stem cells (NSCs) or alternatively hijack similar checkpoints in them that evolution has selected in order to prevent inappropriate neurogenic-to-gliogenic switch which is responsible for the growth of tumor and its resistance to existing therapies. New developments in non-surgical treatment of GBM are based on this knowledge, however, similarities in molecular pathways between GBM and glioma stem cells (GSCs) motive the race to identify and target GSC regulators with less and more harmful effect in normal adult NSC and GBM respectively. In it the implications of downstream stemness genes with modulatory roles for stemness state pathways are assumed importance. This review, embodies NSC-intrinsic genes by recent elucidated roles of importance for GBM to affix to the stemness. Therefor it could facilitate a holistic approach of molecular targeted therapy to compromise the formidable resistant GBM to eradication.