Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40891350›Full record

ArticleNeuro-oncology2025

Glioblastoma tumor microtubes and brain fatty acid-binding protein: Path to directional infiltration.

Won-Shik Choi, Pureunsol Jeon, Seth Peyton, Mansi Garg, John Maringa Githaka, Rong-Zong Liu, Darryl D Glubrecht, Amirali B Bukhari, Daniel McGinn, Lubna Yasmin and 8 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Neuro-oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Won-Shik ChoiDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Pureunsol JeonDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Seth PeytonDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Mansi GargDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
John Maringa GithakaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Rong-Zong LiuDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Darryl D GlubrechtDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Amirali B BukhariDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Daniel McGinnDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Lubna YasminDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Caitlin MakDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Xia XuDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Matthew P LarocqueDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Xuejun SunDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Frank K H van LandeghemDepartment of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Karolyn AuDepartment of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Ing Swie GopingDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Roseline GodboutDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4779-9265

Funding

CIHR 190313Terry Fox Research Institute Prairie Cancer Research Consortium
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGlioblastoma (GBM) is a deadly brain cancer with a dismal prognosis. There is evidence that infiltration and therapy resistance in GBM are driven by tumor microtubes (TMs), ultra-long membrane-enclosed protrusions that serve as intercellular communication channels. The aims of this study were to investigate the role of TMs and identify the molecular drivers involved in TM formation.

methodsWe used patient-derived GBM neurosphere cultures that produce TMs to investigate TM dynamics, the proteins and pathways involved in TM formation, and the effect of targeting brain fatty acid-binding protein (FABP7) on mouse survival using an orthotopic model of GBM.

resultsThe radial glial cell marker, FABP7, is highly expressed in TMs. Like GAP43, FABP7 is critically important for the formation of TMs in GBM neurosphere cultures. We show that GBM cells use TMs as a fiber network for rapid and directional migration. Our results indicate that GAP43 phosphorylation is required for TM formation, with GAP43 phosphorylation facilitated by FABP7 expression. We also show that depletion or inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC), the kinase responsible for GAP43 phosphorylation, decreases TM formation. Targeting FABP7 in an orthotopic mouse model of TM-forming GBM cells increases survival but does not sensitize tumors to radiation.

conclusionsWe found that the FABP7-PKC-pGAP43 axis is key to GBM TM formation, with TMs serving as networks for efficient long-distance cell migration. Our results indicate that TM formation can be mitigated by FABP7 inhibition with the potential of improving clinical outcomes in GBM patients.

Indexed as

Brain NeoplasmsFatty Acid-Binding Protein 7Fatty Acid-Binding ProteinsGlioblastomaAnimalsCell MovementGAP-43 ProteinHumansMicePhosphorylationProtein Kinase CTumor Cells, CulturedTumor Suppressor ProteinsFABP7 protein, humanFatty Acid-Binding Protein 7Fatty Acid-Binding ProteinsGAP-43 ProteinProtein Kinase CTumor Suppressor Proteinsfatty acid-binding protein 7GAP43glioblastomaprotein kinase Ctumor microtubes

Identifiers

PMID40891350
PMCPMC12916726

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.